ALERTNESS

O N T H E J O B A N D A T H O M E
Ring-necked Pheasant
CHARACTER FIRST!

BULLETIN SERIES 2/NO. 2

S
A
M
P
L
E
Being aware of what is taking place around me so I can have the right responses

S
A
M
P
L
E
Being aware of what is
taking place around me so I
can have the right responses
In sixteenth-century Italy, the military call Alla erta! meant
To the lookout! The French adapted this command as
lairte, which later became its own word: allerte. It is from this
form that the English word alert was derived.
Alertness requires the same vigilance now as it did for the Ital-
ian soldiers who first heard the call. As it was for the watch-
tower sentries, highly developed alertness is vital for sounding
the alarm in time to investigate and repel potential danger.
alertness n 1: the state of being watchful and
prompt to meet danger or emergency 2: being
quick to perceive and act 3: being in a state of
readiness
ALERTNESS
vs. Carelessness
Alertness in Response to Others
Information
Alertness is a form of information indexing. Our minds
create a general list of the objects and opportunities which
pass within reach of our attention. However, we can give
attention to only a relative few of these, so many are either
ignored or filed away in memory. Alertness is exercising
our ability to notice and file away information for future
reference as needed.
Involvement
When driving, you may run out of gas if you do not make
a practice of glancing at your fuel gauge. Eventually, such
glances become second nature. In leadership, it is similarly
important to develop a habit of alertness to the areas for
which you are responsible. Knowing how to stay involved
and recognizing areas which need support are important
facets of alertness.
Response
Needs all around us vie for our attention. It is a dangerous
tendency to respond only to the most pressing needs and
thus overlook the others, hoping they will take care of
themselves. For example, work demands may be so press-
ing that a parent ignores the needs of children. When those
unmet needs at home explode, work responsibilities
may then go unattended.
Once you are alerted to needs within your realm of juris-
diction, it becomes a matter of responsibility to address
them. Since you cannot address every need at once, prior-
itize and begin responding to each one in a timely manner.
Stop
2
Recognize the Quality
Be always vigilant; there are many snares for the good.
Accius, c. 100 B.C.
There are more than 150 varieties of pheasants throughout the world. The
American ring-necked pheasant is a hybrid of the Mongolian, English, and Chi-
nese ring-necked pheasants. Pheasants are known for their alert and ready
response to signs of danger.
ALERTNESS
3
On the Job and At Home Series 2 Issue 2
IN THIS ISSUE INTRODUCTION
S
A
M
P
L
E
Attentiveness refers to a persons
focus on a specific responsibility,
such as washing the car.
Alertness refers to a persons aware-
ness of circumstances beyond that
immediate focuscircumstances
which may, nonetheless, come to
bear on the situation, such as a flock
of birds landing in the tree just above
the car.
Alertness is a simple yet powerful
concept. Used wisely, alertness to
surrounding circumstances can give
you an edge on approaching dangers
and emerging opportunities.
Those who are careless are destined
to be frequently caught off guard and
thus overwhelmed by problems that
could have been easily resolved, if
only they had been noticed earlier.
This bulletin will help you exercise
your own alertness as you seek to
understand the meaning and
attributes of alertness,
discover how alertness works in
the real-life experiences of people
from a variety of ages and back-
grounds, and
relate the concepts of alertness to
your own work and family
through specific and practical
applications.
Stop 2
Before you go any farther, get the working definition
and a few examples of the character quality of alertness.
Anticipate 4
Anticipate obstacles The road of life is
scattered with obstacles which stand between you
and personal success. How can you anticipate such
obstacles in order to overcome them?
Observe 6
Connect signals with meaning One
line lacks meaning. Two lines make a pattern. Addi-
tional lines form a picture. How can you be alert to
the big picture of events taking place outside your
immediate focus?
Notify 8
Tell those affected Being alert is step one.
When others are affected by what you discover,
spreading the alert follows naturallyor does it?
Evaluate your alertness to the needs of others.
Act 10
Act immediately How do the signals you act
upon today determine the signals you notice tomor-
row? Act on those events which are important to
ensure continued alertness.
Review 12
Take time to analyze How can you benefit
from the tried-and-true methods of military science
and American Indian wisdom?
S
A
M
P
L
E
4
Anticipate
Young people are frequently con-
fronted with obstacles to doing what is
right. Perhaps friends at school invite
them to participate in wrong activities.
They are wise to decide beforehand
how to respond to such requests and
even to practice their response out
loud. Rejectionanother obstacle
may result, and they must also be pre-
pared to respond properly to it.
Obstacles frequently arise in the form
of objections to our goals or ideas.
Learn to anticipate possible objections
and prepare to overcome them by gra-
cious persuasion, by explaining the
benefits of the goal or idea to those in
opposition. Never give up on appro-
priate goals or ideas simply because
you face obstacles. Be persistent.
We typically make decisions by weigh-
ing the rewards and costs involved. We
can best prepare for obstacles which
impede success by anticipating them,
weighing the rewards and costs, and
preparing and practicing the right
response. As a right response becomes
a habit, we can more successfully over-
come obstacles rather than giving in or
giving up. This life-long process builds
good character into our lives.
Anticipating and responding properly
to obstacles is vital to personal success.
We face obstacles to success each day,
including our own wrong desires, the
enticement of others, and the objec-
tions of others to our personal goals
and ideas.
The greatest obstacle to success is fre-
quently our own desires. Never place
yourself in the way of temptation sim-
ply to test your response to a wrong
desire. Instead, avoid or run from any
desires that tempt you to do some-
thing contrary to good character.
Making a shopping list before you go
to the store and sticking to it is one
way to make decisions ahead of time
and thus resist impulse buying.
Decide what you need and how much
you will spend. Then, avoid those
tempting morsels that invite
you to compromise your
decision. Waiting to make
a decision about a major
purchase until you have
slept on it (waited at least
twenty-four hours) is
another way to resist
impulse buying.
Recognize and Overcome Obstacles
Warned of my foe, I shun my foe.
Timothy Kendall, 1577
Until 1937, grocery shoppers carried baskets to do their shop-
ping. In 1937 an alert grocery store owner, Sylvan Goldman,
invented the grocery cart. At first, shoppers would not use the
new carts, even though Sylvan hired models to greet customers
and encourage them to do so. By 1942 Goldmans carts were
widely accepted, and the basic design of the grocery cart has not
changed in more than 50 years.
A
nyone can learn to overcome obstacles to success.
S
A
M
P
L
E
5
Ant i c i pat e obs t ac l es
Anticipate on the Job
Instruments must be calibrated before being put to use. A scale needs to be
zeroed before weighing. An altimeter must be set while on the ground using
known constants before it can be trusted in flight. Similarly, personal stan-
dards must be checked against good character before they can be trusted in
a difficult situation.
Rather than waiting until you are besieged with difficult decisions or entan-
gled in the consequences of poor responses, commit today to do what is true
and right. Learn and practice good character. Then, be alert to the pressures
of lifeincluding pressures on the jobwhich will test or reinforce your
character.
Think Anticipate
1. We make decisions by weighing the rewards and costs. Can you think of
a recent difficult decision you faced and how at first the rewards seemed
great and the costs seemed minimal? How did your perception of the
rewards and costs change with time?
2. In your own mind, think of one difficult decision you expect to face in the
near future. What would be the right response? What will you say or do
when the time comes?
Anticipate
The garrison is stronger when it is long-time advised.
Chaucer, c. 1387
Anticipation and avoidance are the pheas-
ants best means of defense against its adver-
saries. However, parasites are not so easy to
escape. To overcome these obstacles, the
pheasant takes the proper measuresregular
dust bathsto cleanse its feathers of lice.
Anticipate With Balance
As strong as our determination to do
right may be, human nature is bound
to fall far short of perfection. It would
be naive to suppose that mere antici-
pation and self-effort could assure a
faultless life.
The quality of forgiveness provides a
needed balance when alertness is not
enough. We need to forgive others
when they fail, and we need to know
how to find forgiveness when we fail
others.
Forgiveness is not a setting aside of
justice. Rather, to seek forgiveness is to
recognize I have failed, to turn away
from further wrongdoing, and to make
amends with the offended parties.
Anticipate at Home
Make cookie-cutter cookies with your
children. Encourage them to have fun
shaping the raw dough.
After baking them, point out how dif-
ficult it would be to reshape the cook-
ies. In a similar way, difficulties solid-
ify character. It is never too late, but it
is always easier to form right decisions
before facing difficulties.
6
Observe
Put Signals Together
Good watch prevents misfortune.
English proverb
Amonument was erected at the grave
of Kate Shelley in 1956. The monu-
ment records her story with endur-
ing gratitude to the women of rail-
roading.
Kate Shelley
(18651912)
A
s the oldest child in
the family,
S
A
M
P
L
E
15-year-old Kate Shelley helped her
mother tend the farm and care for the
younger children. She was helping her
mother clean up after dinner as the
tempest of July 6, 1881, raged outside.
Kate listened carefully for sounds of
distress from the barn. If Honey Creek
flooded, the animals could be in jeop-
ardy. When she heard something
clanking in the distance, Kate remem-
bered the railroad track running
alongside Honey Creek. On stormy
nights, a railroad crew often checked
the tracks ahead of the late-night train.
Kate helped her mom tuck the chil-
dren into bed, but she remained alert
to what was happening outside. Fre-
quent bolts of lightning enabled her to
glance out the window and see the
barn. She listened to the animals and
the clattering of the lone engine on the
tracks.
Suddenly, Kate heard a loud crack. She
straightened with a start. She heard
more sounds amidst the wind and
rain: timbers creaking and snapping, a
bell ringing out of control. Then it
stopped. Kate immediately connected
the sounds and realized what had just
happened. The bridge had collapsed
and the engine had fallen into Honey
Creek! Mother agreed that she would
remain with the children and that Kate
should see if the men were all right.
Wet, muddy, and panting for breath,
the shivering farm girl emerged from
the woods where the railroad tracks
crossed the creek. She gasped. The
tracks extended beyond her, then
ended abruptly, suspended over the
darkness below.
Leaning over the abyss with her
lantern held high, Kate called as
loudly as she could. The winds howl-
ing around her snatched her words
and carried them off with the storms
fury. But wait Kate thought she
heard voices reply. Sure enough, some
of the men were alive but trapped in
the wreck and rising waters.
Turning on her heels, Kate ran along
the track toward Moingona station.
She had not run far before she came to
the trestle bridge spanning the Des
Moines River. Without wasting a
moment, she sank to her hands and
knees and began to crawl across.
Grasping each plank firmly as she
advanced, Kate could just glimpse the
angry waters through the gaps
between the ties. At last, she made it to
the other side. She was cold, wet, and
tired. Her arms and legs were shaking
from fear and weariness. But she had
to reach the station!
She continued running, and she finally
saw the outline of the station ahead.
Picking up her pace, she soon clam-
bered up the front porch and burst
through the door.
Several wide-eyed attendants looked
up at the open doorway. The drenched
girl exclaimed that the bridge was out
and then collapsed in exhaustion
before them.
story continues on page 8
Connect si gnal s wi t h meani ng
7
Observe on the Job
Every sphere in life is affected by other spheres. It is never enough to know
what is taking place right here, right now. Parents need to notice events in the
neighborhood around their home, not just events in their home. An assembly-
line worker must consider the stations around her, not just her own task. We
should observe and connect distant signals of danger or opportunity, rather
than limiting our focus to matters at hand.
Attentive focus on the immediate must be balanced with alertness to the sur-
rounding world. Be alert to indicators outside your current sphere of activity.
Notice and connect distant signals to expand your awareness. Then you can
be ready with the right response.
Think Observe
1. Which was more important in Kate Shelleys experience:
present or past alertness? How did Kate connect past obser-
vations with present signals to know how to respond?
2. What is the difference between alertness beyond
my jurisdiction and nosiness in the affairs of
others?
The pheasant has acute vision, sharp hearing, and a
keen sensitivity to vibrations. Accordingly, a pheasant
is rarely startled, because it takes notice of approach-
ing danger by connecting the various signals and thus
determining their meaning.
Observe
To see, to hear, means nothing. To recognize (or not to recognize)
means everything.
Andr Breton
Female
Male
S
A
M
P
L
E
Observe With Balance
Once you connect the signals and piece
together the situation, another character
quality becomes necessary. Alertness
must be balanced with responsibility.
Responsibility is knowing and doing
what is expected of me. Once you
become aware of a need or opportunity
within your realm of responsibility,
respond to it.
If you witness an accident, the responsi-
ble thing to do is to stop and offer to give
a statement or report the accident.
Whether in the car, on the job, or at
home, it is irresponsible to observe a
problem and yet ignore it.
Alertness is a vital and valuable quality,
but only when it is followed up respon-
sibly. Strive to keep alertness in balance
with responsibility.
Observe at Home
Gather together various objects from
around the home. Have your children
close their eyes as you tap, drop, open
and close, activate, or otherwise make
noise with the objects. See if the children
can guess what an object is by its sound.
Talk to them about alertness and the need
for connecting signals in order to deter-
mine their meaning. Read and discuss
the Kate Shelley story.
8
Notify
Alert Others to Your Discovery
He who warns, aids.
Ancient Roman Proverb
T
he MEN IN THE MOINGONA STA-
TION JUMPED
S
A
M
P
L
E
from their various posts and ran to the
rumpled mass on the floor. Fifteen-
year-old Kate Shelley had barely deliv-
ered her message before collapsing in
an exhausted heap.
The men removed Kates wet hat and
coat and lifted her to a chair. She was
not unconscious, but it was a few
moments before she could speak again.
She was finally able to explain that
members of the railroad crew were
trapped in the rising river. Kate also
asked if it was too late to stop the mid-
night passenger train.
The station attendants sprang to
action. Several donned rain gear and
disappeared into the night to rescue
the men trapped in Honey Creek.
The telegraph operator jumped to his
keypad and began tapping out the
hasty message: STOP EXPRESS
BRIDGE OUTSTOP EXPRESS.
The midnight express would not stop
at their station, but it would stop to
collect passengers at Ogden Station.
He hoped to warn the Ogden atten-
dants to hold the train.
Another man grabbed a lantern and
ran out onto the dock. If the train was
ahead of schedule and had already
passed Ogden, he would signal them
with a waving lantern.
Maneuvering a lone train engine to the
edge of Honey Creek, the rescue party
soon reached the site of the train
wreck. They descended carefully into
the darkness and began to call to the
men. They were still alive! With ropes
and determined courage, the rescuers
managed to retrieve the weary sur-
vivors from the water.
Meanwhile, at Ogden Station, the tele-
graph warning did get through. It was
the final message before the lines were
blown down.
The midnight express, carrying more
than two hundred passengers, was
intercepted at Ogden. Hundreds of
lives were saved on the night of July 6,
1881, because a 15-year-old girl was
alert and took the initiative to warn
others.
After the rescue, Kate Shelley was rec-
ognized for her heroism with a medal
from the state of Iowa, a scholarship, a
lifetime railroad pass, and many other
honors. A Chicago newspaper raised
money to pay off the Shelleys mort-
gage on their farm. And a new bridge
built over the Des Moines River Valley
in 1901 bears the name of Kate Shelley.
The Chicago & North Western
bridge over the Des Moines
River was typical of the trestle
bridges of the day. Open gaps
between the ties made cross-
ing the bridge on foot danger-
ous, particularly at night and
during a storm.
In 1901 a new bridge was built
to span the Des Moines River.
When completed, it was the
highest (185 feet) and longest
(2685 feet) double track bridge
in the world. At the 100-year
anniversary of Kates heroic
deed, this new bridge was
named the Kate Shelley High
Bridge.
9
Notify
Notify on the Job
When you are aware of a situation which will affect others, com-
municate. You show alertness by noting the development, and you
show alertness to the needs of others by spreading the word.
It is especially important to consider how your own words and
actions affect others. If, for example, turning on a machine will
make a loud noise in an otherwise quite area, warn others first.
Be alert to the needs of others and communicate in order to help
them.
Think Notify
1. How did Kate Shelley show alertness, not only to the crew in
immediate danger, but to others who might soon be affected?
2. Do you suppose a person automatically thinks of all the
right things to do in an emergency? How does a person
train himself or herself to consider all the possible
ramifications in a crisis?
Tel l t h os e af f ec t ed
Thats hot! It will burn you.
Mom
Male pheasants sing to declare the boundaries of their ter-
ritories and attract females. An average of three females
make their nests in a males territory. The male is not associ-
ated with any one brood but stays close to respond to the
alarm cries of all.
S
A
M
P
L
E
Notify With Balance
Spreading concerns to the wrong people or in the
wrong manner may cause more damage than say-
ing nothing at all. When you become aware of
information which needs to be communicated,
consider carefully who should receive the alert.
Generally, unless there is an urgent danger, word
should be communicated to the individual
responsible to deal with the situation.
If, for example, there is a dangerous chemical
leak now, everyone in danger should be evacu-
ated immediately. If, however, there is a potential
chemical leak, the plant manager should be given
the opportunity to address the situation in order
to avoid spreading unnecessary panic.
Report pertinent information to those responsible
and thus balance alertness with discretion, avoid-
ing words, actions, and attitudes which could
bring undesirable consequences.
Notify at Home
Teach your children to report pertinent informa-
tion to the person responsible. This means that if
a brother or sister breaks a family rule, the first
step is to lovingly remind the offender of the rule.
If he or she continues to resist, the information
should then be brought to the attention of parents.
Skipping the first step is the mark of a tattletale.
Of course, emergency situations or serious
offenses should be brought to parental attention
right away.
10
Act
Why Do You Notice What You Do?
ickticktick
T
Observation, not old age, brings wisdom.
Publilius Syrus, c. 43 B.C.
Brain Stem
S
A
M
P
L
E
Reticular means resembling a
net or network. In the brain
stem there is a web of neurons
called the reticular formation.
The reticular formation regu-
lates consciousness. It filters
information coming in from
the senses. When you pay par-
ticular attention to sensory
information, your reticular
formation learns to send more
of that information to your
consciousness.
Sitting in your living room reading a
book, you might not notice the ticking
clock. Invite a guest to join you, and
she may find the clock so annoying
that she cannot concentrate.
Why does one person notice what
another does not? Why does our mind
miss some details completely while
being alert to others?
Inside the base of your brain is a trian-
gular-shaped formation of nerves
called the reticular formation. This for-
mation houses the reticular activating
system (RAS). You might compare
your RAS to a personal office assistant.
A skilled office assistant knows the
priorities of his boss so well that he is
able to make on-the-spot judgment
calls. He knows what needs immedi-
ate attention, what can wait until later,
and what can be ignored. The reticular
activating system operates similarly.
Your eyes, ears, hands, and other sen-
sory organs collect and send signals
through the nervous system to the
brain. The reticular formation filters
and prioritizes these signals.
So that you are not barraged with too
much sensory information, the RAS
identifies what deserves attention.
It is difficult to project exactly how the
RAS knows which signals should be
given priority. Novelty appears to be
one factor. A new, strange, or unusual
sight or sound often rates immediate
attention.
The RAS will also give priority based
on what signals you have treated with
particular importance in the past. The
signals you acted upon in the past
have set the standard for what is a
present priority.
If, for example, you always jump to
answer a ringing telephone, you will
increase your alertness to ringing tele-
phones. The fact that a ringing tele-
phone is a priority for you will make
you more alert to it.
The design of the human brain teaches
us that alertness tomorrow will be
trained by our actions today.
Act on right priorities today to
enhance your alertness tomorrow.
11
Act
Ac t i mmedi at el y
The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.
Baltasar Gracian
When the pheasant is cornered or surprised, it
takes to the air with a burst of feathers. The pow-
erful, short, broad wings equip the pheasant for
quick take-off but not sustained speed. This action
is the last resort the wily pheasant uses to escape
its predators.
S
A
M
P
L
E
Act With Balance
Alertness requires quick thinking. An alert
driver who sees a deer suddenly leap into
the road must act quickly. Sometimes, how-
ever, alertness requires time.
An alert neighbor might discern that a friend
is discouraged. She waits for the right
opportunity to ask a caring question and
offer a listening ear.
Alertness is strengthened when exercised
with cautiousness, knowing how important
right timing is in accomplishing right
actions. Sometimes the right timing is now.
Often, the right timing involves patience
and gentle careespecially when relation-
ships are involved.
Watch and listen with alertness. Act with cau-
tiousness and right timing.
Act at Home
Teach the importance of acting immediately
on warning signals. Point out street signs
and the proper responses to them. Using cof-
fee stirrers, cardboard, markers, and harden-
ing clay, have your children make road signs
for their toy cars.
Act on the Job
If you ignore a signal too many times, you might stop noticing it alto-
gether. Failure to heed warnings today can result in failure to hear
warnings tomorrow. Rather than ignoring problems or procrastinat-
ing, deal with them. The longer you put them off, the less alert you will
become to other problems.
On the positive side, by acting on important developments in the day
you notice them, you will increase your alertness. You may not be
able to completely resolve a situation immediately, but some form of
immediate response associates signal with action. This association
flags the event in your mind as the kind of priority information to
note in the future.
Think Act
1. Consider your own RAS experience: Have you ever bought an item
and afterward began to notice others with the same item?
2. What are some of your personal interests? How do these affect your
alertness?
3. To what areas of responsibility or to what people in your life do you
want to be more alert? How might you give these a higher priority
rating by your actions today?
Review
MISSION IS NOT OVER UNTIL THE DEBRIEFING.
Debrief and Discover
12
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels offer a
spectacular demonstration of
finely honed precision both on
the ground and in the air. Angel
pilots review minute details both
before and after each flight. When
flying in tight formation, the
alertness of each pilot is not only
crucial to successful coordination,
but it can be the difference
between a thrilling display and
an horrific disaster.
Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Isaiah, c. 725 B.C.
A
S
A
M
P
L
E
As the briefing before a mission alerts
a team to each persons duties, cau-
tions, and objectives, debriefing after
the mission alerts the team to over-
sights, insights, and feedback. Debrief-
ing provides valuable information for
planning the next mission.
The military practice of briefing before
a mission and debriefing afterward is
a wise management policy. It is also a
method of education based on per-
sonal alertness.
Native American Indians had similar
practices in the days of tepees and fire-
side councils. In the evening hours,
gathered around the tribal fire, they
spent time rehearsing the various
experiences of the day.
One hunter might report the dead
squirrel he found and skinned. He
would note that a certain kind of berry
was in its stomach. From that observa-
tion, the tribe would be alert to and
avoid the berries described.
Another hunter might narrate the
antics of a cunning fox he observed
catching a rabbit that afternoon. From
the hunters tale of the fox and rabbit,
the tribe would learn new techniques
for stealth and cunning.
By observing, then taking time to
review the observations, alertness was
turned into practical education.
Upon completing a treaty with the Six
Nations in the mid-1700s, a group of
English commissioners extended a
gesture of kindness. They offered to
provide a college education for six of
the Indians brightest youth.
The Native American leaders took
counsel together. Then, in the words of
Benjamin Franklin, [They] replied
that it was remembered that some of
their youths had formerly been edu-
cated at that college, but that it had
been observed that for a long time
after they returned to their friends,
they were absolutely good for noth-
ingbeing neither acquainted with
the true methods of killing deer, catch-
ing beavers, or surprising an enemy.
The proposition they looked on, how-
ever, as a mark of kindness and good-
will of the English to the Indian
nations, which merited a grateful
return; and, therefore, if the English
gentlemen would send a dozen or two
of their children to Onondago, the
Great Council would take care of their
education, bring them up in what was
really the best manner, and make men
of them.
Classroom instruction has an impor-
tant place in education. However, the
art of learning by observation and
review is as valuable for survival in
the information age as in the wood-
lands of early America.
Exercise your alertness by reviewing
your discoveries and contemplating
what you can learn from them.
Alertness
Being aware of what is taking place around
me so I can have the right responses
T
E
A
R

A
L
O
N
G

P
E
R
F
O
R
A
T
E
D

L
I
N
E

T
O

R
E
M
O
V
E

P
O
S
T
E
R
,

A
N
D

P
U
T
I
T
I
N

A
C
O
N
S
P
I
C
U
O
U
S

P
L
A
C
E

A
S

A
D
A
I
L
Y
R
E
M
I
N
D
E
R

T
O

S
H
O
W

A
L
E
R
T
N
E
S
S
.
S
A
M
P
L
E
Ring-Necked Pheasant
T
E
A
R

A
L
O
N
G

P
E
R
F
O
R
A
T
E
D

L
I
N
E

T
O

R
E
M
O
V
E

P
O
S
T
E
R
,

A
N
D

P
U
T
I
T
I
N

A
C
O
N
S
P
I
C
U
O
U
S

P
L
A
C
E

A
S

A
D
A
I
L
Y
R
E
M
I
N
D
E
R

T
O

S
H
O
W

A
L
E
R
T
N
E
S
S
.
The Alertness of Pheasant
Copyright 2000 by Character Training Institute, 520 W Main Street, Oklahoma City OK 73102. All rights reserved.
S
A
M
P
L
E
The pheasant has been called the wiliest fowl a
hunter and his dog ever face. Silent and unseen, it
sits hidden in the tall grass, listening. Quick on its
feet, the pheasant can weave in and out of corn rows
to evade pursuers. In the rare instance it is cornered,
the pheasant will explode with a burst of feathers
straight into the air, startling a hunter enough to win
precious getaway time.
Because of its evasiveness and dexterity, the pheas-
ant became a favorite game bird of the ancient
Romans. As Roman culture spread throughout the
world, the pheasant was taken to new lands as hunt-
ing game. Every time pheasants were introduced to
new territory, new climates, and new hunters, they
readily adapted and thrived.
The alertness of the pheasant has saved various other
game birds from extinction. In the late 1800s,
turkeys, ruffed grouse, and other native game birds
of North America were nearing extinction. A small
number of pheasants were introduced into Oregon.
Those few birds quickly multiplied, providing
American hunters a greater challenge than the native
birds, and thus saving their feathered friends.
The Pheasant Radar System
During World War I, several varieties of birds were
enlisted in the war effort, such as the homing pigeon.
Not as well-knownbut equally as usefulwere the
pheasant and the parrot. The alertness of these birds
equipped them for service as a form of radar.
The French kept parrots in the Eiffel Tower as an
early warning system. These feathered sentries could
hear enemy aircraft and raise the alarm long before
they arrived.
The pheasant was especially valuable for early
warning. Not only were pheasant alert with their
sharp ears, but a pheasant could detect the slight-
est vibrations in the earth from the footfall of dis-
tant armies or the pounding of far-off artillery.
One example of this took place on January 24,
1915. Aflock of alert pheasants on land reportedly
shrieked themselves hoarse, raising alarm over
the naval battle at Dogger Bank, 216 miles away.
Pheasants Guard Their Alertness
The pheasants ear holes are covered with small
feathers called auriculars. These auricular feathers
are uniquely designed to protect the birds ears
from air turbulence without obstructing the birds
hearing.
Most bird feathers have hundreds of tiny barbules
on each barb. These barbules hook together much
like Velcro

, bonding the separate barbs of a

feather into a surface that is flexible yet virtually
impervious to water and air. The auriculars which
cover the pheasants ear holes, however, do not
have these barbules. Thus, they cover the ears
from damage, but they do not hinder sound waves
from reaching the ears.
If the auricular feathers ever do get in the way of
hearing, the pheasant employs a skill that is
extremely rare in the bird world. It has been seen
to actually raise the feathers over its ears to allow
completely unhindered alertness.
Ta k e t i me t o a n a l y z e
Review
15
Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence.
Charles Dickens
Incubation of the pheasants eggs requires approxi-
mately twenty-three days. During that time, the
female rarely leaves the nest.
S
A
M
P
L
E
Review With Balance
Whenever Jacques and Joseph Montgolfier
(18th-century France) prepared a fire for cook-
ing, they were alert to sparks, lest the house
should catch fire.
As they watched the sparks, they noted the
curious tendency of heated ash to rise upward
in the air. After thinking about this phenome-
non, they made paper bags to hold over the
heated air and thus discerned that the heat
from fire caused the air to rise.
By adding thoughtful discernment to alertness,
the Montgolfier brothers discovered the princi-
ple that led to the first hot-air balloon.
Discernment, the ability to understand why
things happen, makes a valuable partner for
alertness.
Review at Home
Many school textbooks and some storybooks
include discussion questions at the end. If you
have access to such books, consider using them
for regular bedtime stories with your children.
(Bedtime stories are often more popular than
television.)
Use the prepared discussion questions, or come
up with your own. Asking questions after read-
ing a story will help your children develop the
disciplines of alertness and reflection.
Review on the Job
Before the invention of electric lighting, efficient printing systems, and
television, evening hours were more conducive to thinking than to
reading or watching.
Technological developments of the past century have provided us the
opportunity to be as active at night as during the day. The results are
vastly positive, but there are drawbacks. In particular, life can become so
fast and full, one barely has time to think.
Alertness involves the ability to collect information. Taking time to
review and sort that information is necessary for making practical use
of it. Consider turning off the radio to use driving time to review and
think. Schedule ten or fifteen minutes after meetings to review your
observations. Take time to learn from the things you notice.
Think Review
1. Why are briefing and debriefing regular features of mission-minded
operations?
2. How did early American Indian tribes turn their daily observations
into practical education?
3. When do you take time to think about the lessons of each day? How
can you make your review time more focused and fruitful?
CHARACTER FIRST!
Copyright 2000 by Character Training Institute.
520 W Main Street, Oklahoma City OK 73102
405-235-8100 All rights reserved. Item: 056

Praise
S
A
M
P
L
E
Praising Alertness
Often the most meaningful words of encouragement are those which were
not prepared ahead of time, but are spontaneous. A prepared statement is
fashioned to achieve a designed result. A spontaneous comment, however,
communicates greater sincerity.
Do not neglect to prepare words and notes of praise as appropriate. Care-
fully thought-through commendations of those who demonstrate charac-
ter can be a powerful form of encouragement. However, your casual and
spontaneous comments will reveal to those around you whether your
admiration of character is genuine, or if it is simply a veiled attempt to
modify behavior.
Following are some examples of how character can be spontaneously
praised:
As phone messages are handed to a manager just returning from a meeting,
he glances at them and remarks, I appreciate the way you capture the essence
of these calls and take down critical details. It helps me know how to prepare
before returning the call.
Walking out of a customer site, two repairmen board their truck, and one
says to the other, That was a tough job. I was completely stumped until you
noticed that tiny stress fracture.
In both examples above, the quality of alertness was being praised. In nei-
ther, however, was the word alert even used.
Praise does not have to specify the name of the quality or qualities being
commended. In fact, saying I appreciate your alertness does not communi-
cate the same sense of understanding and genuine feeling conveyed by
saying I am grateful for your commitment to details.
If the name of the character quality is used, it should be used in a context
that amplifies the meaning of the term, such as saying Thanks for being
alert to pick up on the details I missed.
Similarly, one could compliment a hand-eye-coordination-intense project
by saying Good job. That took an unusual degree of alertness. In this exam-
ple, the project itself provided an obvious context that defined the term
alertness.
Encourage character by praising those who exhibit it. However, avoid
cookie-cutter statements or terminology that lacks meaning. Be alert to
opportunities for spontaneous praise.
Alertness Guides
Attention
Our mind can give attention to only so
much information within a day. Never-
theless, the more responsibility a person
shoulders, the greater the number of details
which accompany that responsibility.
Under growing responsibilities, the char-
acter quality of attentiveness becomes
increasingly important. By attentiveness, a
person learns to concentrate on one per-
son or task at a time without being dis-
tracted by others.
However, the quality of alertness also
becomes increasingly important. By alert-
ness, a person keeps her finger on the
pulse of a vast number of areas without
giving full attention to any of them
unless she notices something which
requires specific attention.
Alertness is like peripheral vision. It
serves to keep you aware of your sur-
roundings while you focus on one particu-
lar object.
Alertness in leadership is much like sitting
at a control panel covered with dials. As
the number of dials increases, the leader
needs to know how quickly to scan all the
dials to notice if something is wrong (or
unusually right).
Through well-developed alertness, we can
focus our attention productively on the
greatest needs, while remaining alert to
new developments.