INTEGRITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Quality and Productivity -- these are but two of the key elements organizations consider to remain competitive in the highly fast-paced global arena. To integrate these elements in the workplace would mean raising the bar of recruitment by looking for knowledge and skills as the core competencies of their potential employees. Though this is not bad, an equally important ingredient is seemingly taking the back seat. Employee attitude, character and habits have become secondary in importance. At times, leaders are in dilemma to choose between a technically competent person with a character problem and a trustworthy candidate but still lacking in skill. When the demand to fill the office is immediate, can a business unit afford to wait? Which choice is more expensive? The investment cost to train a trustworthy person or the losses that may result from character flaw? We know that the lack of skills and knowledge can be addressed by mentoring, coaching and training. But is there an organizational intervention that can address character problem?
Attitude and character are part and parcel of “integrity”. But what is integrity? Should it be a factor in a person’s effectiveness and development to perform one’s job? Should it matter in an organization?
Integrity, according to Richard Dortch, "involves everything about the wholeness of our inner person, our heart, mind and will. Integrity simply means singleness: Singleness of our purpose, singleness of our will, singleness of our hearts. There is no dividing of the truth that splits the wholeness of what we are about.” Mr. Dortch further explained that the prevailing duplicity in a person’s professional and private life is a manifestation of an eroding integrity.
Values are supposedly consistent regardless of time, place, culture and environment. The force that restrains us from doing certain activities when our superiors are around should also be present even when they are not. Similarly, the restraint to do certain actions in the presence of our family should also be felt when we are alone.
Integrity in Leadership
Critical to any organization’s character and culture is strongly defined by its leadership. "Leadership by example” is still one of the best approaches in leading the human capital. Below is a perfect story from the internet that depicts the principle of leading by example.
A lady reached Mahatma Gandhi with her 10-year old son. She told Gandhi, “Sir, my son has a bad habit of eating a lot of jaggery (a special kind of Indian sweets). I have been telling him to reduce eating jaggery but he does not listen to me. Mahatma Ji, the whole nation listens to you and you are a revered personality. I am sure my son too will heed to your advice. Please tell him not to eat too much of jaggery.” Mahatma Gandhi thought for a while and asked the lady to bring her son again after a week.
After a week, the lady again took her son to Mahatma. Mahatma Gandhi put his hand on the head of the boy and told him, “My dear child, don’t eat jaggery too much. It can be harmful”.
The conversation ended.
The bewildered lady asked the Mahatma, “Sir, this was simple. You could have told him the same thing last week itself!! Why you made us come again after a week?”
Mahatma told the lady,” I myself used to take jaggery till last week. I needed a weeks’ time to quit eating jaggery so that I could counsel your son with conviction”.
The lady bowed in reverence to Mahatma Gandhi and took leave of him.
Integrity is Humility and Sacrifice
Integrity is the strength of character that enables a person to admit failure regardless of what is at stake.
In the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), shocking news rocked the professional basketball industry when its hardworking Commissioner, Noli Eala, filed his immediate resignation before the Board of Trustees. Mr. Eala who rose from the ranks as a sportscaster and analyst before becoming the top honcho made a miraculous job of turning around the PBA as it reached its highest peak in terms of revenues, market share, gate attendance receipts and televiewers’ percentage in terms of popularity and prestige. Noli who is also a lawyer by profession was recently disbarred by a Supreme Court ruling due to acts of immorality or grossly misconduct. Based on the decision, he was found to having an extra-marital affair with a married woman, an offense punishable in the by-laws and ethics of lawyers.
“It is a painful decision brought about by a painful personal circumstance, but I have always believed that the PBA is bigger than any one man, one team, one player or one team owner” were the final words of Noli Eala when he presented his resignation to the press.
His disbarment or extramarital affair has nothing to do with his professional job where truly excels with but why did he resign? Not even the Board of Governors is asking him to leave his post. But why? Because that is how he truly loves the PBA, the organization, the players, coaches, staff and the fans. He is willing to suffer and sacrifice his own glory and power for the sake and welfare of the league he re-built.
My Personal Note
That for me is a real act of integrity in leadership.
Iyan ang mga katangian ng isang totoong lider. Hindi natatakot mawala sa limelight o sa eksena. Hindi kumakapit sa posisyon. Ang iniisip ng isang totoong lider ay ang kapakanan ng mas nakararami at hindi pang sariling interes lamang. Hindi kailangang manira o manakit ng ibang tao para lamang mapadali ang pag-akyat sa mas mataas na posisyon. Ang isang totoong lider ay marunong tumanggap ng mga suhestiyon at adhikain mula sa kanyang mga kasamahan. Marunong din siyang tumanggap ng kanyang pagkakamali at sa pagiging mapagkumbaba ay marunong humingi ng tawad sa kanino mang nasaktan o natapakan.
It is almost a year that our beloved institution has turned into a university. As per our students’ sentiments, “bukod sa mga naggagandahang buildings at renovations, mayroon bang ipinagbago ang Trinity?”
So, is integrity important?
An organization is built in integrity. An individual with flawed character will not last in good organizations. Likewise, good people will not stay in bad organizations.
Our ability to lead is eroded when integrity is damaged. Our credibility to impose discipline and implement corporate values will be put in question. Character and attitude problems slow down an organization. Time and resources are wasted in the hiring and training of new employees brought by integrity related turnover. Time is also consumed in attending to administrative cases brought by employee dishonesty.
Lack of integrity in leadership will lose its ability to set an example and add value to others. Lack of integrity in the organization will lose its ability to correct itself, therefore, losing good employees either by resignation or conformation to the corrupt culture.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a novelist, hit the nail when he said:
In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers… we are ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.
Integrity… should it matter?
Quality and Productivity -- these are but two of the key elements organizations consider to remain competitive in the highly fast-paced global arena. To integrate these elements in the workplace would mean raising the bar of recruitment by looking for knowledge and skills as the core competencies of their potential employees. Though this is not bad, an equally important ingredient is seemingly taking the back seat. Employee attitude, character and habits have become secondary in importance. At times, leaders are in dilemma to choose between a technically competent person with a character problem and a trustworthy candidate but still lacking in skill. When the demand to fill the office is immediate, can a business unit afford to wait? Which choice is more expensive? The investment cost to train a trustworthy person or the losses that may result from character flaw? We know that the lack of skills and knowledge can be addressed by mentoring, coaching and training. But is there an organizational intervention that can address character problem?
Attitude and character are part and parcel of “integrity”. But what is integrity? Should it be a factor in a person’s effectiveness and development to perform one’s job? Should it matter in an organization?
Integrity, according to Richard Dortch, "involves everything about the wholeness of our inner person, our heart, mind and will. Integrity simply means singleness: Singleness of our purpose, singleness of our will, singleness of our hearts. There is no dividing of the truth that splits the wholeness of what we are about.” Mr. Dortch further explained that the prevailing duplicity in a person’s professional and private life is a manifestation of an eroding integrity.
Values are supposedly consistent regardless of time, place, culture and environment. The force that restrains us from doing certain activities when our superiors are around should also be present even when they are not. Similarly, the restraint to do certain actions in the presence of our family should also be felt when we are alone.
Integrity in Leadership
Critical to any organization’s character and culture is strongly defined by its leadership. "Leadership by example” is still one of the best approaches in leading the human capital. Below is a perfect story from the internet that depicts the principle of leading by example.
A lady reached Mahatma Gandhi with her 10-year old son. She told Gandhi, “Sir, my son has a bad habit of eating a lot of jaggery (a special kind of Indian sweets). I have been telling him to reduce eating jaggery but he does not listen to me. Mahatma Ji, the whole nation listens to you and you are a revered personality. I am sure my son too will heed to your advice. Please tell him not to eat too much of jaggery.” Mahatma Gandhi thought for a while and asked the lady to bring her son again after a week.
After a week, the lady again took her son to Mahatma. Mahatma Gandhi put his hand on the head of the boy and told him, “My dear child, don’t eat jaggery too much. It can be harmful”.
The conversation ended.
The bewildered lady asked the Mahatma, “Sir, this was simple. You could have told him the same thing last week itself!! Why you made us come again after a week?”
Mahatma told the lady,” I myself used to take jaggery till last week. I needed a weeks’ time to quit eating jaggery so that I could counsel your son with conviction”.
The lady bowed in reverence to Mahatma Gandhi and took leave of him.
Integrity is Humility and Sacrifice
Integrity is the strength of character that enables a person to admit failure regardless of what is at stake.
In the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), shocking news rocked the professional basketball industry when its hardworking Commissioner, Noli Eala, filed his immediate resignation before the Board of Trustees. Mr. Eala who rose from the ranks as a sportscaster and analyst before becoming the top honcho made a miraculous job of turning around the PBA as it reached its highest peak in terms of revenues, market share, gate attendance receipts and televiewers’ percentage in terms of popularity and prestige. Noli who is also a lawyer by profession was recently disbarred by a Supreme Court ruling due to acts of immorality or grossly misconduct. Based on the decision, he was found to having an extra-marital affair with a married woman, an offense punishable in the by-laws and ethics of lawyers.
“It is a painful decision brought about by a painful personal circumstance, but I have always believed that the PBA is bigger than any one man, one team, one player or one team owner” were the final words of Noli Eala when he presented his resignation to the press.
His disbarment or extramarital affair has nothing to do with his professional job where truly excels with but why did he resign? Not even the Board of Governors is asking him to leave his post. But why? Because that is how he truly loves the PBA, the organization, the players, coaches, staff and the fans. He is willing to suffer and sacrifice his own glory and power for the sake and welfare of the league he re-built.
My Personal Note
That for me is a real act of integrity in leadership.
Iyan ang mga katangian ng isang totoong lider. Hindi natatakot mawala sa limelight o sa eksena. Hindi kumakapit sa posisyon. Ang iniisip ng isang totoong lider ay ang kapakanan ng mas nakararami at hindi pang sariling interes lamang. Hindi kailangang manira o manakit ng ibang tao para lamang mapadali ang pag-akyat sa mas mataas na posisyon. Ang isang totoong lider ay marunong tumanggap ng mga suhestiyon at adhikain mula sa kanyang mga kasamahan. Marunong din siyang tumanggap ng kanyang pagkakamali at sa pagiging mapagkumbaba ay marunong humingi ng tawad sa kanino mang nasaktan o natapakan.
It is almost a year that our beloved institution has turned into a university. As per our students’ sentiments, “bukod sa mga naggagandahang buildings at renovations, mayroon bang ipinagbago ang Trinity?”
So, is integrity important?
An organization is built in integrity. An individual with flawed character will not last in good organizations. Likewise, good people will not stay in bad organizations.
Our ability to lead is eroded when integrity is damaged. Our credibility to impose discipline and implement corporate values will be put in question. Character and attitude problems slow down an organization. Time and resources are wasted in the hiring and training of new employees brought by integrity related turnover. Time is also consumed in attending to administrative cases brought by employee dishonesty.
Lack of integrity in leadership will lose its ability to set an example and add value to others. Lack of integrity in the organization will lose its ability to correct itself, therefore, losing good employees either by resignation or conformation to the corrupt culture.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a novelist, hit the nail when he said:
In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers… we are ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.
Integrity… should it matter?
(INDEX)
