Cowboy Ethics The Code of the West

Posted By: John Chakan

So, I am at the Association of Independent Camps national conference in San Diego, and our speaker this morning was Jim Owen. Jim is a former Wall Street banker who has written a book about cowboy ethics and their code. His premise is that all of us could benefit by living by ten principles that cowboys adhere to:

Live Each Day with Courage
Take Pride in Your Work
Always Finish What You Start
Do What Has to Be Done
Be Tough, But Fair
When You Make a Promise, Keep It
Ride for the Brand
Talk Less and Say More
Remember That Some Things Aren’t For Sale
Know Where to Draw the Line

At Plantation, though we do not have this specific code, we do live by these principles. We start each summer with the Two Rules: “Be Nice” and “Respect”. Then, each staff group and each camper unit works to come up with their own group code. If you were writing your own code, what principles would you include?

Comments

Many hands make for light work!

Posted By: Liz On 2/8/2011 9:28:29 PM

One I would add is: "Leave Gates the Way you Find Them".

Posted By: John Chakan On 2/8/2011 6:47:48 PM