Year: 2013

Character Creates Opportunity – The Decision to Listen: Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Posted on by David Esposito

One of the strongest human needs, after the basics of food, clothing, and shelter, is the realization that we actually matter to someone or some cause.  The need to matter is one of the reasons the theme song from the 1980s hit TV series Cheers can still be recalled by so many people.  A place where “everybody knows your name” clearly touched on the need for all of us to be in a place where we mattered and people appreciated our presence.

A key area to strengthen our character and have a positive impact on others is to meet this basic human need of people to feel they matter.

In the workplace, there are many ways we demonstrate that people matter like reward and recognition programs, group announcements, and one on one meetings.  On the home front, there are many times we make family members feel they matter through birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and awards for doing well in sports or academics.  All of these opportunities are very helpful to meet that basic human need of people to feel they matter.

We invest a significant amount of time and effort in putting together these more formal opportunities to show people they matter.  However, we often overlook the most valuable, consistently available opportunity to demonstrate that someone really matters.  The opportunity comes when we build and strengthen our character through our decision to listen to others.  Listening, with the intent of truly understanding another person, is an immediate, fairly simple way to show someone they matter.

So what gets in our way?  There are often two major obstacles that we need to overcome as we build and strengthen our character to listen and demonstrate to people that they matter.

(1) We need to control our desire to quickly respond, make our point, show how much we know, or organize our “brilliant” response.   We need to overcome the desire to respond and focus purely on listening to the other person.  As the saying goes, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. “  Focusing first on listening and not responding can go a long way in showing people that they matter and that you care about them.

(2) In today’s “always on” world on instant communication, we need to be mindful of the negative impact the sound of an incoming email, text, alert, and phone message have on our ability to be in the moment listening to someone else.  How many times have we glanced down at our smartphone or been distracted by the “buzz” when talking to our spouse, our children, a coworker, an employee, or a customer?  That action immediately sends a signal that the other person does not matter as much as the incoming text, email, or Facebook update.

In my own personal experience, I am extremely vigilant when sitting with a customer to either silence my phone or shut it off completely to ensure the customer knows I am “all in” with the deal being discussed and focused on listening first. However, I hate to admit it, how many times I let the buzz of a text message or email distract me from a conversation with my wife, my children, or close friend.  The obvious misalignment in my actions, and maybe yours too, calls for a strong reinforcement of the fact that no human accomplishment like closing the “big deal”, landing that big promotion, or accomplishing some great personal goal, will ever compensate for a failure at home.  Our failure to overcome the two major obstacles above, especially at home with those we love, amounts to small fractures in the foundation of our families which can cause major challenges down the road.  When we focus on listening to others we send the signal that they matter and we meet them at a clear point of need.

Our Character Creates Opportunity® to build and strengthen relationships through our personal decision to listen with the intent to understand.

What has helped you become a better listener?  If you would like to leave a comment, please do so below.

Character Creates Opportunity – The Acceptance Principle Part II: Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Posted on by David Esposito

In follow-up to Monday’s blog on the first step of The Acceptance Principle, possessing the courage to Accept Reality when looking at our world as it continues to grow in complexity, intensity, and uncertainty, today’s comments will focus on the second step in The Acceptance Principle:  Accept Responsibility.

At Harvest Time Partners, we developed resources around the framework of The Acceptance Principle to support and encourage individuals taking a more effective step in addressing the realities of our world and continuing to move forward on their path to personal growth and accomplishment.

The second step in The Acceptance Principle is to Accept Responsibility for our response to the various situations and circumstances we face in today’s world.  There are numerous examples around us of individuals playing the “blame game” when outcomes fall short of expectations.  Poor performance in school is often blamed on the teacher or the classroom environment.  Poor performance in the workplace is often blamed on a poor boss or the demands of the workplace. Struggling relationships in families are often blamed on “the other person” to avoid the acceptance of responsibility.  Numerous examples of steroid use in professional sports are often blamed on the pressures to compete.  During the early days of the financial crisis in 2008-2009, there was not a single individual or organization that accepted responsibility for their part in causing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  Recent examples of teachers correcting student test scores to ensure classroom averages remained competitive to gain government funding were rationalized based on the pressure to keep funding intact and maintain the status quo in some school districts.

The consistent behavior of making excuses when things don’t turn out the way we want weakens us as individuals and weakens the very fabric of our society.  With respect to personal growth and accomplishment, when we fall into the trap of blaming our shortcomings on others or our environment, we quickly position ourselves as a victim and momentum builds to continue to underperform in the future.

Many times, there are very legitimate reasons and obstacles that hinder our ability to reach our potential or accomplish some specific goal.  There are “bad bosses” in the workplace, poor teachers in the classroom, “difficult” family members we have to deal with, and there are extremely heavy pressures to remain competitive on the athletic field and in the business world.  However, when we move beyond just the acknowledgement of those obstacles to blaming those obstacles for the choices we make and outcome that results, we quickly move to the position of a victim.  That choice limits our potential, shackles us to our situation, and prevents us from rising above and overcoming.

Even though there have been numerous examples of excuse making over the last decade, there are a few examples in recent history to guide us in a more effective way to deal with the pressures of life and the outcomes we deliver.  Victor E. Frankl was a psychiatrist and a Jew who was imprisoned in the death camps of Nazi Germany during World War II.  He suffered immense torture and also witnessed the death of many of his closest relatives.  Through a tremendous demonstration of self-awareness and discipline, Frankl began to think and then act on what he described as “the last of the human freedoms” in his book Man’s Search For Meaning.  The prison guards could take away a great many freedoms, but Frankl refused to let them take his freedom to choose his response to his difficult situation.  He made the decision to transcend his environment, hope and plan for his eventual release, and he became an inspiration to those around him.  Frankl acted on his freedom to choose and accepted responsibility for his decisions and actions despite some very difficult circumstances.  In a similar demonstration of personal responsibility, Mahatma Gandhi, during the height of one of his most challenging situations, encouraged his supporters by declaring, “They cannot take away our self-respect, if we do not give it to them.”

Our decision to Accept Responsibility for our decisions and actions in all situations enables us to break-free from a victim mindset and puts us on a clear path to personal growth and accomplishment.  As Frankl described the freedom to choose our response as “the last of all human freedoms,” we should consider our decision to Accept Responsibility for our response as the critical next step in our journey for personal growth and accomplishment.

At Harvest Time Partners, we continue the development of material to support and encourage individuals applying the two steps of The Acceptance Principle (Accept Reality and Accept Responsibility).   We look forward to incorporating your feedback and comments as we continue to move this concept forward into the lives of individuals and organizations.

If you would like to leave a comment, please do so below.

Character Creates Opportunity – The Acceptance Principle – Part I: Monday, November 4, 2013

Posted on by David Esposito

In the journey to build and strengthen our character, it is important that we possess the courage to face the reality of our world.  In this two part blog post, we will address a key principle that is essential to our continued personal growth and development.

There is a strong tendency in human behavior to try and avoid the difficult realities of our world by sticking our heads “in the sand” or continual delay until it is impossible to avoid the reality.  At Harvest Time Partners, we have developed resources around a concept called The Acceptance Principle to support and encourage individuals taking a more effective step in addressing the realities of our world and continuing to move forward on their path to personal growth and accomplishment.  We will address the first step of The Acceptance Principle in Part I of this blog and address the second step in Part II.

Our world continues to grow in complexity, intensity and uncertainty.  There is no denying the massive changes we see in our global marketplace with technology advances and shifts to more efficient means of production and manufacturing.  In addition, in our local markets, the rise of large retailers have established significant barriers to small “mom and pop” stores effectively competing on any sustainable basis.  In our homes, the rise of our “connected” world has created the environment for massive “disconnect” among families as online chatter has replaced critical face to face discussions in the home.  The rapid and steady use of violence in support of extreme ideologies has turned our once peaceful schools, shopping malls, and recreation areas into places of worry and concern.

The first step in The Acceptance Principle is to possess the courage to Accept Reality when looking at our world.  Our world is no longer simple and predictable.  There have been brief periods in our history when many could describe their world as being stable and predictable, like a good episode of Leave It to Beaver or The Brady Bunch.  However, it is time we all Accept Reality that there is no possibility of turning back to a simple and steady lifestyle.  The rate and pace of change in our personal and professional lives, and our world at large will only continue to increase.

Vice Admiral James Stockdale, one of the most-highly decorated officers in the history of the U.S. Navy and a survivor of over 7 years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, was interviewed by Jim Collins for his book, Good to Great.  When asked how he survived all those years of torture and abuse, Stockdale described two key elements: (1) Never losing faith that you will prevail in the end and (2) Maintaining the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.  Collins termed this the “Stockdale Paradox” in his book.  Although the vast majority of us will never face the challenges that Admiral Stockdale did, the wisdom he gained through that experience can help all of us as we prepare to face the reality our constantly changing world.

Once we make a decision to Accept Reality when looking at our world as it continues to grow in complexity, intensity, and uncertainty, then we can begin to transcend the challenges of a constantly changing world and make continual progress on our path to personal growth and accomplishment.  We will discuss the second step in The Acceptance Principle on our next blog post.

If you would like to leave a comment, please do so below.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. Announces Special Discount Pricing Structure for Schools and Charitable Organizations

Posted on by Harvest Time Partners

Discount Pricing for New Character-Building Conversation Games to Help Support Fund-raising Opportunities for Organizations

Harvest Time Partners, Inc., a rapidly growing personal- and professional-development company, is announcing a special discount pricing structure for schools and 501c3 charitable organizations. Harvest Time Partners is offering the discount pricing across the entire line of new conversation games designed to build and strengthen character, one conversation at a time. The games are a part of Harvest Time Partners’ Character Creates Opportunity® brand.

David Esposito, managing partner for Harvest Time Partners, said, “We are experiencing tremendous demand for our new games that help families and educators open the door to more effective communication and to encourage real-life decision making based on principles such as honesty, loyalty, and commitment. We are responding to support the needs of schools and charitable organizations who want access to our games to support their fund-raising needs. Basically, we are offering wholesale pricing on our games to schools and 501c3 charitable organizations. Organizations can then sell the games at retail or better pricing to supplement their general fund-raising programs.”

The discount-pricing program is being offered on Harvest Time Partners’ recently launched conversation games and include:

Abundant Harvest® for Kids and Abundant Harvest® for Teens & Adults. Both game versions are revised and updated based on the original patented and award-winning versions launched in 2008. The new game offerings address the feedback and valuable insights offered by parents and educators as well as the children who played them. Both remain true to the intent of the original versions: to help families and educators open the door to more effective communication and to encourage decision making based on principles such as honesty, loyalty, and commitment with the intent of reinforcing the law of the harvest—you reap what you sow.

Face to Face™.  This new conversation game is suitable for play in a variety of forums such as typical family gatherings at home, on vacations and road trips, or as engaging conversation starters for small-group parties. The games help to encourage open and honest conversations on real-world issues and to develop the critical life-skill of effective face-to-face communication in a world that is rapidly changing how people connect. There are three versions of the game: Face to Face Kids Edition, Face to Face Teen Edition, and Face to Face Dinner Party Edition.

David Esposito said, “We look forward to partnering with organizations on building and strengthening character. Organizations can contact me directly for specific terms and conditions of our pricing and we hope to support them in exceeding their fund-raising targets.”

For more information or to discuss additional products and services from Harvest Time Partners, Inc., please visit the company website at www.harvesttimepartners.com. You can also contact David Esposito at (877) 786-4278 or david [at] harvesttimepartners.com.

About Harvest Time Partners, Inc.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. was formed over 20 years ago to enable individuals, families, and organizations to reach their full potential in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world through customized, character-building programs and services. The company’s patented and award-winning family-based games have been embraced by families, schools, counseling programs, and faith-based organizations worldwide. They support the development of character and the importance of principle-based decision making—you reap what you sow.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. Announces Global Launch of Gifts and Accessories for Character Creates Opportunity® Brand

Posted on by Harvest Time Partners

Gifts and AccessoriesReminders of the Positive Impacts That Character Creates in People’s Lives

Portage, MI (October 24, 2013) — Harvest Time Partners, Inc., a rapidly growing personal- and professional-development company, is announcing the launch of a new line of gifts and accessories to complement the Character Creates Opportunity brand.

The Character Creates Opportunity brand currently includes award-winning, patented conversation games, programs, and resources for both the personal and professional development of individuals, families, and organizations. David Esposito, managing partner of Harvest Time Partners, was inspired to create the brand based on his personal and professional experiences as a combat veteran, business executive, husband, and father of four.

The intent behind Character Creates Opportunity is simple: lasting success can be achieved by making decisions and taking actions based on principles such as loyalty, responsibility, and commitment. Principle-based decisions and actions strengthen an individual’s character and Character Creates Opportunity for people regardless of the challenges in their environment.

“The brand, Character Creates Opportunity, has been well received by the marketplace,” said David Esposito. “The message is one of hope in today’s complex and uncertain world. When individuals establish a solid foundation by building and strengthening their character, their Character Creates Opportunity for improved relationships, a stronger business, and a better chance to have a greater impact, regardless of the challenges and difficulties in today’s world. Based on the strong reception of our character-building conversation games and resources, we wanted to expand our product line to include a variety of gifts and accessories that remind people of the positive and uplifting impact that character creates in our lives. We continue to build our branded product line from a starting point of coffee mugs, t-shirts, hats, and other accessories; and we look forward to launching even more products very soon.”

The new products are available on the company’s website at www.harvesttimepartners.com.

For more information or to discuss additional products and services from Harvest Time Partners, Inc., please visit the company website at www.harvesttimepartners.com. You can also contact David Esposito at (877) 786-4278 or david@harvesttimepartners.com.

About Harvest Time Partners, Inc.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. was formed over 20 years ago to enable individuals, families, and organizations to reach their full potential in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world through customized, character-building programs and services. The company’s patented and award-winning family-based games have been embraced by families, schools, counseling programs, and faith-based organizations worldwide. They support the development of character and the importance of principle-based decision making—you reap what you sow.

The Character Council of Western New York and Harvest Time Partners Foundation Announce a Scholarship Program for Western New York Students

Posted on by Harvest Time Partners

Hamburg, NY (October 22, 2013) — The Character Council of Western New York and Harvest Time Partners Foundation are announcing a new scholarship program for Western New York high school seniors to reinforce the importance of character and encourage students to pursue academic goals beyond high school.

The scholarship program will award $1,000 cash scholarships to three college-bound seniors exemplifying character in his/her daily life. The scholarships will be awarded to the most deserving high school seniors from a public, private, parochial, or home school, enrolling full-time in a college or trade school for the fall of 2014. Students must be current residents of Erie, Cattaraugus, Niagara, Orleans, Chautauqua, or Allegheny counties to be considered. The scholarship will be made payable directly to their chosen post-secondary institution.

“We are excited to offer these scholarships to high school seniors who are exemplifying strong character in their lives,” said Suzanne McKenney, President of the Character Council of Western New York. “These deserving students provide a great example for all of us who are striving to ‘create a culture of character’ throughout the Western New York Region.”

“The Character Council of Western New York has made a tremendous impact on individuals, schools, and communities in Western New York and we are grateful for its association in providing these scholarships,” said David Esposito, Managing Partner at Harvest Time Partners, Inc. “We look forward to recognizing these fine young men and women and the positive impact they will have in the years to come.”

Details of the scholarship application process and additional information can be found on the Character Council’s website www.charactercouncilwny.org/scholarship. The deadline for applying for the scholarships is January 15, 2014.

Download the scholarship flyer here.

About the Character Council of Western New York

Launched in 2000, in Hamburg, the Character Council of Western New York’s mission is to “Create a Culture of Character”. We envision communities that place a priority on an individual’s responsibility for his or her own disposition, words and actions; communities that encourage and praise excellence in character; and communities that strive to reinstate universal standards of respect, integrity and virtue. For general information about the Character Council of Western New York, contact us at 716-202‐0702 or email info@charactercouncilwny.org. Website: www.CharacterCouncilWNY.org

About Harvest Time Partners Foundation

Harvest Time Partners Foundation is a 501c3 organization that supports children and young adults in the pursuit of character-building opportunities worldwide. The Foundation supports a wide range of initiatives from college scholarships to community service projects, as well as international efforts to reduce the suffering of children and young adults. The Foundation was established by Harvest Time Partners, Inc., a personal and professional development company providing resources and support to enable individuals, families, and organizations to reach their full potential in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world. To learn more, visit the company’s website at www.harvesttimepartners.com.

Character Creates Opportunity – Welcome: Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Posted on by David Esposito

Welcome to the Character Creates Opportunity blog!

I am David Esposito and I will be writing the content for the blog.

At Harvest Time Partners, we created the brand Character Creates Opportunity to support and encourage our clients with the truth that it is our CHARACTER that enables lasting success in accomplishing our hopes and dreams.

Our world continues to grow in complexity, intensity, and uncertainty.  There are no “Secret Formulas” or “Ten Easy Steps” to lasting success in our uncertain world.  Only our CHARACTER will create the opportunity over time to achieve lasting success, regardless of our environment.  This blog will be a forum to reinforce the importance of CHARACTER in making a positive impact in our relationships and our businesses.

As we move forward with content for this blog, it is important to start with how we, at Harvest Time Partners, define a few key terms:

Character:  Character is our internal compass or internal sense that drives our thoughts, decisions, and actions.  Character is built and strengthened over time by thoughts, decisions, and actions that are based on principles like trust, loyalty, commitment, and perseverance.

Success:  Success is defined as achieving near term goals in a manner that forms the foundation to achieve even greater goals in the future.

In addition, I want to put a few items out on the table as we get started:

(1) I am no expert.  I am on this journey of trying to reach my full potential like everyone else.  I have been blessed with some experiences and learnings that I hope will help others, but at the same time, I look forward to being an active participant on this learning journey.

(2) In the words of Yogi Berra, “It is Déjà vu all over again.”  Or, if you prefer, from the Book of Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under sun.”  In the world of personal and professional development, there are new “techniques” that emerge over time to help people deal with certain situations in our changing world, but the principles of lasting success are timeless.   So in many aspects, what I will be communicating in this blog will most likely be concepts you are familiar with from other sources.  I hope to communicate them in a manner that supports and encourages you to be more consistent in applying these truths on your journey to reach your full potential.

One final note, the readers of this blog will most likely be adults.  However, I would like to remind all of us that the development of character begins early in life.

“You know that the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for that is the time at which the character is being formed and the desired impression is more readily taken…Anything received into the mind at that age is likely to become indelible and unalterable; and therefore it is most important that the tales which the young first hear should be models of virtuous thoughts…”  Plato’s Republic

I would encourage you to share the content from this blog and the concept that Character Creates Opportunity with children and adolescents.

Thank you for participating in the journey to build and strengthen character.

If you would like to leave a comment, please do so below.

 

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. Announces New Line of Character-building Conversation Games

Posted on by Harvest Time Partners

New Conversation Starter GamesGlobal Launch of New Character-building Conversation Games in Time for the 2013 Holiday Season

Portage, MI (October 16, 2013) — Harvest Time Partners, Inc., a rapidly growing personal- and professional-development company, announces the launch of a new line of conversation games designed to build and strengthen character, one conversation at a time. The new games are a part of Harvest Time Partners’ Character Creates Opportunity® brand and are suitable for a variety of ages and forums. The new conversation games are available for pre-order immediately with delivery expected in early November.

Abundant Harvest® for Kids and Abundant Harvest® for Teens & Adults. Both game versions are revised and updated based on the original patented and award-winning versions launched in 2008. The new game offerings address the feedback and valuable insights offered by parents and educators as well as the children who played them. Both remain true to the intent of the original versions: to help families and educators open the door to more effective communication and to encourage decision making based on principles such as honesty, loyalty, and commitment with the intent of reinforcing the law of the harvest—you reap what you sow.

Face to Face™.  This new conversation game is suitable for play in a variety of forums such as typical family gatherings at home, on vacations and road trips, or as engaging conversation starters for small-group parties. The games help to encourage open and honest conversations on real-world issues and to develop the critical life-skill of effective face-to-face communication in a world that is rapidly changing how people connect. There are three versions of the game: Face to Face Kids Edition, Face to Face Teen Edition, and Face to Face Dinner Party Edition.

David Esposito, managing partner for Harvest Time Partners, said, “We are excited to bring these new games to market. As our world continues to grow in complexity and uncertainty, there is a need for personal-development tools that support and encourage families to learn how to more effectively deal with today’s realities. The new games reinforce the importance of character and principle-based decision making as powerful means to succeed in today’s world. In addition, the games help to develop the critically important life skill of face-to-face, authentic communication that is rapidly being replaced by today’s online chatter.”

The games are available on the company’s website at www.harvesttimepartners.com and on major online channels such as Amazon.com, Sears.com, Newegg.com, and others. Pre-orders are being accepted with delivery expected to begin in early November.

For more information or to discuss additional products and services from Harvest Time Partners, Inc., please visit the company website at www.harvesttimepartners.com. You can also contact David Esposito at (877) 786-4278 or david [at] harvesttimepartners.com.

About Harvest Time Partners, Inc.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. was formed over 20 years ago to enable individuals, families, and organizations to reach their full potential in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world through customized, character-building programs and services. The company’s patented and award-winning family-based games have been embraced by families, schools, counseling programs, and faith-based organizations worldwide. They support the development of character and the importance of principle-based decision making—you reap what you sow.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc. Announces a Global-Distribution Agreement with LearnRight Toys

Posted on by Harvest Time Partners

LearnRight Toys and Harvest Time Partners LogosAward-winning conversation games are now available worldwide.

Harvest Time Partners, Inc., a rapidly growing personal- and professional-development company, is partnering with LearnRight Toys to distribute its award-winning portfolio of conversations games worldwide. The company is also preparing for the launch of several new conversation games in time for the 2013 holiday season.

The new conversation games focus on improving the dialogue between parents and children and reinforcing the importance of principle-based decisions to build and strengthen character. As part of the launch, Harvest Time Partners has revised and updated its flagship product, the award-winning conversation game Abundant Harvest®. This game is a one-of-a-kind board game designed to help families and educators open the door to more effective communication. Abundant Harvest encourages decision making based on principles such as honesty, loyalty, and commitment with the intent of reinforcing the law of the harvest—you reap what you sow.

David Esposito, managing partner for Harvest Time Partners, said, “We are excited to launch several new games this holiday season; and our partnership with LearnRight Toys will enable us to reach new markets across the globe. We look forward to working with Nathan King and his team as we expand our reach and product offerings.”

Nathan King, President of LearnRight Toys, a growing online distributor of games and resources commented, “We see great potential in the resources being offered by Harvest Time Partners; and we look forward to leveraging the LearnRight Toys platform to significantly expand their presence in the global marketplace.”

Currently, Abundant Harvest for Kids and Abundant Harvest for Teens & Adults are available on the company’s website www.harvesttimepartners.com and on major online channels such as Amazon.com, Sears.com, Newegg.com, and others.

For more information or to discuss additional products and services from Harvest Time Partners, Inc., please visit the company website at www.harvesttimepartners.com. You can also contact David Esposito at (877) 786-4278 or david [at] harvesttimepartners.com.

About Harvest Time Partners, Inc. 
Harvest Time Partners, Inc. was formed over 20 years ago to enable individuals, families, and organizations to reach their full potential in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world through customized, character-building programs and services. The company’s patented and award-winning family-based games have been embraced by families, schools, counseling programs, and faith-based organizations worldwide. They support the development of character and the importance of principle-based decision making—you reap what you sow.

About LearnRight Toys, Inc. 
Founded in 2008, LearnRight Toys has established working relationships with new and established brands by helping its clients connect with independent retailers and retail chains. LearnRight Toys specializes in distribution, logistics, fulfillment, sales planning and marketplace management. The company’s expertise and ability to adapt allows its clients to focus on what they do best—developing great products and enhancing their brands. More information can be found at www.learnrighttoys.com.