Last week, I posted about my retirement from the U.S. Navy and the Retirement Ceremony I held three-and-a-half years later. The point of that post was that ceremony is used to great effect in the military, is important, and is something that civilian organizations would be wise to employ.
I've been surprised and humbled by the response that post received, but there's more.
At military Retirements, the retiree is given the opportunity to speak. Remarks typically include remembrances of important events, thanks to various people, and wisdom that the retiree wants to share—his or her ‘lessons learned’ from a long career. I am a firm believer in wisdom.
I do NOT believe wisdom is some mythical concept or something that only the very old or very experienced possess. I believe you can find wisdom anywhere—even where you least expect it.
You can find numerous definitions of the word, most of which are good, but my favorite is probably from Wikipedia: “Wisdom is the act of using one's depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to do good by oneself and others. Wisdom is the interpreting and understanding of knowledge that leads to greater insight.” [Don’t criticize me for appreciating Wikipedia – it does have its uses when employed judiciously.]
Here is the ‘wisdom’ that I shared at my Retirement Ceremony. My full remarks, if you are interested, are attached.
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"Suggestion #1: Connect.
Connect with the people around you. Get to know them. Really know them. Listen before you talk. Ask them questions. Find common ground—there is always common ground somewhere. Sometimes you have to look harder, but you will find it. I’ve never met and spent any significant amount of time with a single person who wasn’t in some way interesting and who wasn’t able to teach me something. You will have better relationships and enjoy your life more.
Suggestion #2: Learn.
Everyone around you has knowledge, insight, and understanding that you do not. Even people who are less than you – less trained, less intelligent, less capable. Even people who you dislike, even potentially despise. Everyone is a source for your greater understanding. Seek out that wisdom. Find it wherever it may be—even in the places you don’t expect it. Heck, especially in the places you don’t expect it. Live by that wisdom, wherever you found it. You will be a better person for it.
Finally, Suggestion #3: Teach.
Every one of you has knowledge, insight, understanding that others do not. You have had experiences that others have not. Share that wisdom with the people around you. Share it freely. Spread it far and wide. Don’t ever knowingly withhold it. Be willing to teach the people around you, through your words, actions, behavior – sometimes especially your behavior. People are watching, and they will learn."
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I’m curious what wisdom you offered at your Retirement Ceremony or what wisdom you may have heard at others’ Retirements. Please share in the comments.
#Veterans, #Wisdom
Customer Service Representative at Koller Enterprises
2moWoot! Woot! Congratulations!