Integrity at work: how is it presented?

As the business sections of today’s newspapers and magazines become more and more like police blotters, “Integrity” is quickly becoming a hot topic of conversation in business boardrooms, around water dispensers and business bestsellers today. Integrity is defined as leading by example when it comes to living one’s true values, being authentic. Take this self-assessment and explore how you talk about integrity when you show up at work.

Integrity is a lot like being pregnant. In other words, either you’re pregnant or you’re not. There is no middle ground. I am the same with integrity.

At work, integrity is not a robe that you can put on and take off when it suits you. However, everyday behaviors in the workplace often seem to indicate that convenience plays an important role in whether or not people show integrity. Who people are at work and what people are like at work seems to change like the weather, the weather of convenience.

When asked, many people say that they believe that, in fact, they always act with integrity. However, when we look at actual workplace behaviors day by day, minute by minute, this is clearly not the case. Why? One reason is people’s basic need for control and security recognition.

Because most people are driven by their egos and their needs for control, recognition, and security, they often drift away from their true, authentic selves, from their deepest inner values, and behave contrary to doing and being. . ing in integrity.

So do you think, feel and believe that you live your core values ​​at work, that you present yourself with integrity in your workplace? Take this self-assessment and explore who you are and how you perform at work when it comes to integrity.

1. On an integrity scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), how would you rate yourself regarding the following behaviors in the workplace?

(a) gossip;

(b) bullying;

(c) view or download pornography;

(d) steal physical materials;

(e) steal intellectual capital;

(f) steal time;

(g) tell the truth;

(h) take responsibility for your part of your team’s projects;

(i) make an apology;

(j) be direct, open and honest in your communications;

(k) respect others;

2. Who or what usually takes away your integrity?

3. When you don’t have integrity, what kind of internal dialogue do you engage in?

4. Do your needs for control, recognition and security take you out of integrity?

5. Do you relate to yourself about being in integrity? If so, why?

6. Does it matter to you that you are out of integrity?

7. Do you use the same definition to define integrity for yourself and for others? If not, why not?

8. Do you respond if others act with integrity and their actions directly affect you?

9. Do you respond if others act with integrity and their actions affect your team, unit, department, or organization?

10. Do you ever excuse or rationalize your lack of integrity? If so, when and why?

At the end of the day, the workday, integrity is about telling the truth about ourselves, to ourselves. It is about living this truth.

Many of us are quick to judge and criticize others who act with integrity. But truth be told, and it’s the truth, many of us are just as prone to straying from our core values ​​and acting with integrity when it’s somehow appropriate.

So how did your self-assessment go? Who are you and how are you when it comes to presenting yourself at work with integrity?