Knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected.



Thoroughness is being aware of what details are important in each situation, an awareness that will often make the difference between failure and success. Success is in the details, and even the tiniest detail can be quite costly:

A woman touring Europe cabled her husband the following message: “Have found wonderful bracelet. Price seventy-five thousand dollars. May I buy it?” Her husband immediately responded with the message: No, price too high.” The telegraph operator transmitted the message – minus one small character. Having become lax in his Morse code, he omitted the comma after the word “No.” As a result, the elated wife in Europe received the message “No price too high” and bought the bracelet. Naturally, the husband was shocked when his wife returned home to show him her lavish purchase. Following a lawsuit against the telegraph company, telegraph protocol was changed to require the now familiar “stop” to be completely spelled out between statements. Thoroughness is knowing what factors are critical to the success of my work or words.

Thoroughness means planning. It means doing a job from start to finish on paper, or computer, before doing anything in reality. With thorough planning, problems can be anticipated, needed supplies can be prepared, and the overall job can be accomplished more efficiently. A plan introduces discipline, gives a definite sense of direction and sets a series of expectations by which progress can be measured.

When your plan is interrupted by an unexpected obstacle or you discover something is missing, thoroughness is expending the necessary effort to truly resolve the difficulty. Devising a “quick fix” or ignoring the step now seen to be important will lead to an incomplete finish. Thoroughness is getting all the facts and giving care to see that a job is done well. It is finishing what you set out to do – and finishing it properly. Thoroughness is embracing full responsibility and fulfilling it in every point. Work from beginning to end, focusing on the details of your task. Then make sure the results of your work fulfill the intended purposes.

At home, sit down with your children and plan a family activity together. Help them understand that thorough planning is an important step toward achieving a special family memory.



Brought to you by the Four Corners Character Council. Character First definitions used by permission. www.characterfirst.com