What’s Integrity Got To Do With It?
Integrity is one of the buzz words that’s tossed around more and more frequently. What’s disturbing is that so many people using the term (usually to describe themselves or their business) don’t really understand integrity…or what it means in real life application.
What I’ve noticed is that most people who wave the integrity flag have forgotten two things:
1. Integrity is about more than intentions.
It’s not enough to say you meant to… (fill in the blank yourself – arrive on time, finish the report, return the phone call, pay the bill).
Integrity is primarily about actions – what you do, what you say, and how the two are in alignment. If you said you would do something, but didn’t do it, you are out of integrity.
Apologies are good, and can certainly go a long way toward mending fences, but apologies alone are not enough. You must also demonstrate a change in behavior to rebuild trust and get back in integrity.
For example, if a client owes you money, but they keep neglecting to pay the bill, that’s a problem, right?
If, when you bring it to their attention, they apologize sincerely and pay the bill, they will have rebuilt trust with you – or at least begun the rebuilding process. They are taking steps (actions) to correct the misalignment between their words and deeds.
What if they apologize and say they’ll take care of it, but still don’t? What then?
People have all sorts of reasons for this – they forgot again, they misplaced the invoice, they are low on funds right now, their dog ate it….
It doesn’t make them bad people, but the thing about integrity is that no matter what the reason or excuse, you have to make it right.
You have to make it right – which means you must take action that corrects or resolves the issue.
I had a client who had not been paying their invoices, despite repeated reminders and requests for payment. The people involved in the business are good people, they meant well, and they were working hard at their business. I know they were very busy.
Yet, the fact remained – they kept not paying the bill. Every time I would remind them, they would apologize for the delay and promise to take care of it. They intended to take care of it – and I believe they meant it – but they failed to take the necessary action to make it right.
Simply put, they were out of integrity because they defined their integrity by their intentions, not their actions.
(Ironically, this company claimed that integrity was one of their founding/guiding principles. But like so many people waving the integrity flag, they stopped short of the real life application of integrity.)
You MUST take action to restore trust and get back in integrity.
2. Integrity is global, as well as local.
Integrity isn’t case specific. It doesn’t apply in one setting, but not in another. Integrity isn’t just about how you treat your customers, clients, or shareholders.
You either have integrity, or you don’t. If you bend over backwards to serve your clients, but neglect to treat your own team with that same consideration and respect, you are out of integrity.
If you teach compassion and consistency, but don’t consistently employ those attributes yourself, you’re out of integrity.
I’ve worked with too many personal growth professionals who are great at talking the talk from the front of the room (or from behind the keyboard), but behind the scenes it’s a different story. Their staff is demoralized, frustrated, sometimes even scared. Their assistant feels unappreciated. Their own family members feel neglected.
They have focused so much on presenting themselves as a person of integrity that they have lost touch with the reality of BEING in integrity.
Certainly we’ve all been there. We’re not perfect. But to be a person of integrity, an ethical personal growth professional, we have to be attentive to it and working on it all the time.
I invite you to take an inventory of your integrity.
Look at your intentions and actions. Where do they meet, and where are they out of sync?
Are there places where you know you’re out of integrity but haven’t taken steps to fix it? Are there people you have let down? Are there promises you haven’t kept? Are there people or projects you’ve been avoiding because of embarrassment or shame?
What toll is that taking on you?
On your sense of pride?
On your self esteem?
On your business?
What’s integrity got to do with it? For personal growth professionals…everything.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
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