What Do You Stand For?: Stories About Principles That Matter

Rating:
Summary: A rectitudinous winner!
Review: "What do you stand for?" is a rectitudinous winner! It has a very smooth, quick flow as the book goes through ethical topics and personal stories. It was contagious and kept me reading. Jim Lichtman sought answers to some poignant and current issues. I was impressed with the caliber of people he found to contribute. Even though the book was about ethics, it was not religious or preachy. I liked how the author looked briefly at most issues and more thoroughly at different viewpoints of other issues. Honestly, I often start a book, then skim through, read highlights and the endings. It is so well written that I didn't want to miss a word. As Lichtman concludes: "Let's recognize that we can be honest and fair and still tough. Let's criticize less and inspire more. And let's realize that we may be able to negotiate many things, but we will never negotiate our integrity." Gary Lange Ph.D.

Rating:
Summary: Ethics as a daily practice
Review: I assumed that this book would be about ethics: Ethics in business and government, and all the related struggles our society is having in these times. As I began to read, however, the power of the stories swept me away. Rather than being ABOUT ethics, the book brings me deeply into the hearts and minds of people, famous and common, and takes me into the heart of ethics... Ethics as a practice in the seemingly small moments of my daily life. It has caused me to rearrange how I make momentary choices with my own personal and professional behavior. While reading the book (I moved through it with a deliberate slowness, reading each story like a daily meditation), I began to listen more carefully to my inner dialogues and drives as the events of the day would unfold. I found myself beginning to practice a new kind of ethical behavior in the normal goings-on around the office and out in the field where I teach. Jim Lichtman has created a moving, breathing, calling with this book. It has an uncanny and powerful presence that reminds me what I can do, in any given moment, to behave gracefully. For this book, I am enormously grateful.

Rating:
Summary: Living right in a dangerous time
Review: I have to confess that I contributed to this book, but among the Dalai Lama, Arnold Palmer and the likes of Mario Cuomo, I am the least among the one-hundred or so who wrote aspects of their lives which had made a difference. I was privileged to serve the US soldier in Viet Nam as a fully-trained cardiac-vascular-general surgeon, and in that year saw more, learned more and saved more lives than in my 40 year-career. This book stands out as a singular beacon in today's world of failed sports stars, tarnished executives, fallen ministers and dishonored presidents as a simple guide to taking the often difficult path...honesty and virtue, which in the end, will avoid the pitfalls of deceit which, inevitably, lead to failure. Some of the contributors are just "ordinary" people but their take on major life decisions are overwhelmingly insightful and add great value to anyone reading this well-conceived anthology.

Rating:
Summary: Just in time!
Review: I have to tell all of your audience that I was given this book by my best friend...Just in time! I work at a very high level for a very big company and had been beating my head against the wall for months to find an answer to my dilemma. What Do You Stand For? was just what I needed to inspire me to walk through the fire of intimidation and outright fear from my work peers. Thank you Jim for your insight and inspiration! I highly recommend this to EVERYONE! If you have children....get two!