Character: When No One Is Looking

Josten's Championship Ring Designer: Lavisse Smith

by Derrick Mathy

“If you don’t have the character, all you think about is being an individual.”- Lavisse Smith.

Character: moral or ethical quality; qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity.

Character. So what does that word really mean? Does it vary by interpretation? Or is it one of those things that cannot be argued? Well on September 16th, the Clifton Central Leadership Class heard a man of experience talk about what it takes to be a leader with character.

Mr. Smith played basketball in college with Coach Denton and shared with us many of their interesting stories, memories, and pastimes. Lavisse Smith underwent several occupation changes throughout his life. He was a high school basketball coach. By doing this, he was able to share his talent and love for the game with his players. He worked as a sports marketing manager for Converse. This job, according to Mr. Smith, opened up several windows of opportunity in the world of sports. He was able to get his name out there, talked to several professional players, and was also for a short time, a broadcaster. He now sells championship rings for Jostens and has been doing so for 13 years.

However, one thing that the class noticed was that Mr. Smith talked a lot about others rather than himself. Most of the time, the speakers we hear talk about how they got where they got in order to inspire the class to want to do the same and to show them that it is possible. However, Lavisse did not speak in this manner. It was very clear from the beginning that Mr. Smith found character to be the main aspect of a leader. Lavisse told the class, “When no one is looking is who you are.” One very important thing that determines character is how you act when no one is looking. Lavisse emphasized to the class the three main components to character. First, are your values. These are certain things that you hold important that you get from your family. Second, are your morals. This is something you pick up in religion and in church. Lastly, are ethics. These are things you learn out in the business world. These three things, in the eyes of Lavisse, formed the foundation and the core for leadership, and furthermore, character.

Words spoken by Lavisse Smith:

“If you’re going to set a fire, set it in a fire pit.”-This quote was involved with a story that showed us the fun side of Mr. Smith and the type of kid he was when he was in college. This not only helped the class to see his sense of humor, but to see him as a real person.

“We have gone from developing character to being a character.”

“Once you’re a teammate of mine, you’re always a teammate of mine. I don’t know it any other way.”- A teammate always has your back. He will treat you the same way on the court as he will 30 years down the road. As teammates in college, Coach Denton and Lavisse are still good friends because they were, and forever will be, teammates. He finds loyalty to be a key trait in being a leader. Loyalty seems to be a forgotten thing in our society today. Lavisse Smith, however, still holds loyalty as a vital part of his character as a leader.

“The same people you meet on the way up, is who you’re going to meet on the way down.” -Your friends are what are going to get you through it. Make them along the way and when the going gets rough, you know that someone is there to help you up. Mr. Smith said that we also need to learn how to be that person that helps someone up when they are down.

“When two guys like us can be successful, you know it’s a great country.” -Here, Mr. Smith was referring to himself and Coach Denton. Although he meant it as a joke, his statement is true. We live in a country full of opportunity and constant room for advancements. All you need to do is take the initiative and make it happen for yourself.

"Find a job you like and you’ll never work a day in your life." -He, much like John Hammond from the Milwaukee Bucks, feels like he hasn’t worked in 30 years.

I, Derrick Mathy, was given the privilege to present Mr. Smith with a key chain that had both our class and school name on one side and his name engraved on the other side. By doing this, we hope that our school leaves a small physical mark on their day to day lives, just as they have left a significant psychological mark on us in our day to day lives by teaching us the value of leadership.

So can character be attained or established by or in a person in one day? No. It is a process. But with the help, guidance, and words of Mr. Lavisse Smith, the Central Leadership Class hopes to start taking these steps toward becoming not only a leader, but one that is separated from the rest because of one significant factor: character.