Step One ... Explain the Tools

“Hire for character, train for skills”…is not just a platitude at EDG. It has been the credo that has driven our original principal partners for years.

Have we fallen short sometimes? You bet! The difference is that our leaders wanted to prepare us with tools that will shape who we are…and prepare us for success.

Building Life Around Something Bigger Than Yourself

I'll never forget the day my mother and father called a "family meeting" concerning my dad's job. Dad had been contemplating a career change that would allow him to teach high school and coach football. He knew this change would have an impact on our lives and wanted to talk it over before he gave his final answer.He told my brother and I about the job and explained why he thought it would be a good move for our family.

Change and grow by Marti Vickery

Change is one of the most valuable growing experiences of life. When I first arrived in northwest Florida, a resume did not count. Most folks wanted to know who my parents were, where I went to school, etc. I commonly heard, “You’re not from around here, are you?”For several months, I adapted to staying with family and was grateful for their generosity, but we were somewhat “space challenged” in their “mobile mansion,” and they were stretched financially and needed their privacy.

Cultivating Courage in Business

The odds were against Cynthia Cooper. Raised in a small town and having a humble demeanor, she probably never dreamed she would be featured on the cover of Time magazine. But in 2002 her courageous whistle-blowing halted an $11 billion fraud committed by her boss and co-workers at WorldCom.She was ostracized by peers and received international media scrutiny. While it is unlikely we will ever face the kind of drama that she encountered, there are valuable lessons that can be applied to daily life.First, Ms. Cooper thoughtfully considered alternatives and bravely questioned her higher-ups before reporting the wrongdoing. She did not rush to judgment, nor did she allow her superiors to undermine her confidence.