A friend of mine posed a question, "Do you think integrity can exist in business?" My answer was an immediate "ABSOLUTELY!" but after further discussion we both decided that while it was possible, it was indeed rare. Why? Because people demonstrate integrity, not businesses. People are complicated, irrational, inconsistent, and sometimes, they lie.
In an attempt to honor my New Years Resolution and shy away from juvenile name calling, here are a few more reasons why people shy away from the the Big I:
1. It's expensive--Having integrity can cost you a lot. I know the adage is 'talk is cheap' but in today's economy, if speaking up was cheaper then dammit everybody would be doing it. Although the dry political humor was deemed necessary by the rising gas prices, the true costs of integrity don't always fall on the financial side of things. Challenging the status quo can cost you relationships, which ultimately take you further than a gallon of Premium Unleaded ever will. If your network is truly your net worth, then integrity is a big ticket item that you may not have budgeted for.
2. It's hard to admit our strengths--Integrity is one of the most desired characteristics in a leader. Unfortunately not only are strengths hard to explain, they are hard to claim. Really?? YES! Because as ironic as it sounds, we build relationships on our weaknesses. And even more than ever, the Internet only helps to strengthen this trait. I read blogs daily written by lost souls--hell, I posted one yesterday! I'm drawn to them and they always make me want to escape Lurkdom and comment. In that same token, it's one of the few subjects that causes the big shots to step down from their spot on the totem pole to whisper "yeah, me too" in the comments section. That same effect transcends beyond the Web and plays out in regular life. We connect when we get to see the normalcy of success. It feels good to know that our Gen Y shit is simply some real world shit. You know what they say...Shit happens.
3. People fear the accountability that comes with it--Yep, it takes some major guts to throw stones from a glass house because inevitably your refuge shatters. Ask any major political figure (or American Idol finalist), once you achieve a level of "integrity" (in the publics eye) all skeletons in any forsaken closets are fair game. Right now, with no smokinggun.com spot checking every sentence that falls from our lips, it's very easy to blame others for misfortune. Many of us believe that during moments of weakness, we're not even responsible for our lives; and we're actually relieved to be off the hook! Thank GOD for a recession, now we have a real reason to complain!
Sure these reasons resonate with all of us, but does that make them okay?
No, its not okay. Integrity is one of those things that will give a company and a person a competitive advantage. Many companies put integrity in their mission statements or company profile just to make it sound good but they really don't seem to know how to hire the right people to carry this out. As you have said, people lie and don't take credit for the ups nor downs. I don't think that word should be used by anyone unless they know what it means and truly carries out the actions it demands.
Posted by: Tiffany | July 24, 2008 at 09:05 AM