Integrity: The Gold Standard

I recently chose not to do business with someone due to a lack of integrity. They had the skill set, the experience, the ability to get the job done. However, they misrepresented themselves personally and professionally. Recognizing that, I chose not to put my well-being in the hands of someone I couldn’t fully trust, because if anything went wrong I couldn’t honestly say it was a surprise.

That was me using my intuition, paying attention to red flags. Too often I’ve ignored them or over-ruled them with logic or emotion. These days, however, I’ve turned up the volume and I listen when I get that warning tap on the shoulder.

If companies won't hire someone with poor character and lack of integrity - as revealed by a poor interview, bad references and a failed background check - why would I do business with them?

Having integrity does not mean being perfect. It doesn’t mean never making mistakes, bad choices or even misspeaking. We all do those things.

Integrity means owning up to your words or actions. Integrity means being man or woman enough to admit when you were wrong, you messed up, or you chose poorly.

Integrity is about strength, not weakness.

Integrity means making the right play most of the time versus making the easy play or the self-interested, damaging to others play.

Integrity is about character and trust.

People with integrity tend to surround themselves with others who are like-minded and have similar character. The same is true in the reverse.

When you find yourself dealing with someone of poor character and a lack of integrity, separate yourself quickly.

If you find yourself surrounded by people with bad character and no integrity, take a look in the mirror. You may either be a “mark” (preyed on by that type) or a compatriot (defined as: a friend or colleague: someone who belongs to the same group or organization as someone else).

In the case above, I smelled their lack of integrity and moved on…quickly.

Constantly Thinking...