THE FOUR WAY TEST
a presentation held by Peggy Hebden
Past President and Assistant Governor at the Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia on Tuesday April 26, 2005
During training to be Assistant Governors we are assigned research projects to present to our fellow Assistant Governor's. Last year the District Trainer, our very own Ken Robinson assigned me with the task of doing a presentation on the 4 Way Test. My first thought was “what did I ever do to Ken”. A 5 minute presentation on the 4-way Test would be next to impossible. I was wrong; I not only enjoyed the assignment, I learned from it as well and I hope you will too…
THE FOUR WAY TEST
Of the Things we think, say or do –
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
The 4-Way Test was conceived by Herbert J. Taylor in 1943. Herbert was a Chicago Rotarian who eventually came to be President of Rotary International in 1954-55. The 4-Way Test was initially written by Herbert Taylor for his business. He was looking for something to return his business to profitability.
Rotarian Herbert was a distributor of cookware and other household goods. He had good product, but so did his competitors. He needed something that would set his business apart from his competitors.
Every decision, marketing statement, and advertising slogan, were checked against the 4-way test. All superlatives such as the words better, best, greatest, and finest disappeared from their ads.
As a result the public gradually placed more confidence in what they stated in their ads and bought more of their products. They also eliminated all adverse or detrimental comments on their competitors' products from their advertisements and literature. Where they found an opportunity to speak well of their competitors, they did so. They gained the confidence and friendship of their competitors as well as their customers.
The company attributed their steady increase in sales, profits and earnings to the application of the 4-way test.
They also found that it was impossible to apply the 4-way test continuously to all of their relations with others during business hours without getting into the habit of doing it in their home, social, and community life.
This was such a success in his business that Herbert brought the idea forward to Rotary International. It was presented under the Vocational Service Program and in January 1943 The Rotary International Board of Directors agreed that the 4-Way Test should be brought to the attention of Rotary clubs. It became a part of the Vocational Service Ideal and has been published in various forms and in many languages by Rotary International.
(Remember the movie “Miracle on 34 th Street – where “Santa” – good old St. Nick told customers where to find the best deals on toys their children wanted for Christmas - even if it was at the competitors store - the result was that more people shopped at their store – this is a great example of ethics in business and how it can turn around your business.)
How Do we Use THE FOUR WAY TEST
• We use the 4-Way Test in self-evaluation. It allows us to evaluate ourselves and our service to society. It also helps us analyze the way we do things.
• Application of the 4-Way Test in decisions helps us to keep our sights on the needs of others as well as our own good.
• Leaders may assume that what is good for us is good for everyone however the opposite approach may be more successful.
• People more readily embrace a policy they believe has benefits for them
What could the Club do to further the use of THE FOUR WAY TEST ?
Introduce The Four-Way Test in Schools
• We could get students involved in applying the principles of The 4-Way Test in the following ways.
• We could Take The Four-Way Test To Town:
• A dramatic instance of application of the 4-Way Test was in introducing it to an entire community.
• The Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, Florida was inspired by a story of how The 4-Way Test was introduced to students so they decided to launch a similar program in their community – the parents of the 4,000 students were asking teachers what is this “4-Way Test” their children were learning about in school.
How They Did it
The Rotary Club enlisted other civic and service groups in town to help with this community endeavor. Through the use of various media, television/radio and newspaper ads, The 4-Way Test message was broadcast to townspeople throughout the community.
The clergy based sermons on the principle inherent in the test.
Windshield stickers were distributed to motorists and cards with the Test were delivered to private homes.
Some Other ideas that Rotary Clubs have done:
• Pittsburgh , a past District Governor convinced negotiating labour union officials to incorporate “the Test” into a road haulage agreement.
• Cape Town , South Africa , Rotarians secured government consent to introduce the Test in all schools and prepared 1,000 special kits in English and Afrikan.
• In 1992 the Rotary Club of Millen, Georgia, produced its innovative "4-Way Test Coloring Book." Rotarians have introduced it to grade schools nationwide in an effort to pass on their values to young people.
• In 1995, a Florida club took the educational tool a step further by putting it to music. The coloring book, created by Millen Rotarians in conjunction with Georgia state educators, uses colorful illustrations and interesting characters to teach children the values of fairness, honesty, kindness, and responsibility. The book presents four scenarios in which a child is confronted with an ethical or moral dilemma - each corresponding to a component of Rotary's 4-Way Test. Accompanying text asks the reader what he or she would do in a similar situation and poses questions for group discussion. The Rotary Club of Pensacola North was one of the many clubs committed to distributing the book. But the members thought it would make even more of an impact if it came with an audiotape. The tape dramatizes the situations in the book with upbeat music and memorable dialogue.
• Ft. Collins , Colorado , USA , periodically engage in round-table discussions of hot-button topics such as cheating, violence, family breakdown, sexual behavior and its consequences, drug use, and suicide. Over the past few years, some 3,500 junior high school students have participated in the discussions, using an ethics program developed by the Rotary Club of Ft. Collins. Teachers handle the discussion format and preparation, but the students choose the ethical situations themselves and take turns leading the discussions. Rotarians sit in on the discussions and voice their opinions as well, giving the perspective of the business person in the community who might be hiring the young people. At the end of the discussions, the Rotarians "grade" the students -- not on their responses but on the level of their participation. Students also grade themselves. Teachers as well as students applaud the program for the communication skills and community responsibility it instills, and the schools keep inviting the Rotarians back.
I have to admit that until I was assigned this project of doing a presentation on THE 4-Way Test, I believed that I lived by the philosophy of the Test, the reality is that I know it; but living it day in and day out is not as easy as we think it is.
The plaque is in my office. It have dusted it off and have refreshed my commitment to live and work according to the philosophy of The 4-Way Test.
THE FOUR WAY TEST (please say it with me)
Of the Things we think, say or do –
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned