Clean Benjamin

"Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloths, or habitation. " -Benjamin Franklin.

The more I think about Ben's virtue of Cleanliness, the more strange it is. Ben didn't want to clean more. He wanted to not tolerate uncleanliness. It seams that nagging your wife until she cleans would also be a virtue.

I'm sure that's not what he ment. It's fun to read it that way.

Ben Franklin's Virtues

Benjamin Franklin had thirteen virtues that he wanted to cultivate in himself. He did so by writing them on a chart and scoring himself daily.

• Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
• Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; Avoid trifling Conversation.
• Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
• Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
• Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
• Industry. Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
• Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
• Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
• Moderation. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
• Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
• Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
• Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
• Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

The virtues say as much about Ben Franklin as they do about living well. Temperance, have you ever seen a picture of Ben where he isn't portly? Cleanliness? What kind a man needs to improve his cleanliness? Chastity? Franklin had a common law wife and an illegitimate son with another woman.

Not to make fun of Ben Franklin. In fact, I find it instructive that someone who achieved as much as he still viewed himself as imperfect and took concrete stops to improve.

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Good is an overstatement This is a book on the difference between mediocre companies and great companies.In Collin's estimation, the key differences are...

1. They have Level 5 leadership. Leaders who have both “personal humility” and “professional will”. They are not rock stars. They are diligent and hard working.

2. They get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus and the right people in the right seats on the bus. The idea is that you don't have to manage the right people. You may have to coach, or provide training, but if you find that you are constantly managing someone, or compensating for them, then they are not the right person. If you would be relieved if an employee took a different job, or you wouldn't hire that employee again, then that employee is not the right person, and should be managed out. The Great companies paid little attention to managing change or motivating people. They established conditions where these problems went away. People are not your most important asset. The right people are your most important asset.

3. Never loose faith, but confront the brutal facts.

4. Have a hedge hog concept, a concept that you can earn money at, be passionate about and realistically be best in the world at. When it came to values, it mattered that the company had values, but not what those values where. For every company value you could find, you could find another company with the opposite value. For example, some companies had strong customer values. Others appeared to have disdain for their customers, but loved innovation.

5. Establish a culture of self discipline.

6. Plan in terms of a flywheel, so that momentum builds over time. They do not constantly change plans.

I can almost map these directly to "The Seven Habits" The exception being "Get the right people on the bus, get the wrong people off the bus." But, it does ring true. "Choose your associates carefully" should be another habit.