"The Integrity Myth"

Ask someone what the word 'Integrity' means to them and you might be surprised at the answers you receive. Don't believe me... Give it a try.

If you are in business try asking the question next time you conduct an interview and see what you get back...... The more usual replies include the perceived ideals of 'honesty', 'truthfulness', "do no harm to others" etc etc...While it might be true that these values can form part of one's integrity, in reality they have little to do with the demonstrated meaning of the word in people's daily lives.

Semantics can be a funny thing and no less so when it comes to understanding a single word. It stands to reason though that if people are unable to quickly and reliably interpret the various layers of meaning and application that exist in daily life, then it's not a long stretch to appreciate why there is so much conflict and confusion between people. This is why I refer to the topic as "The Integrity Myth".

Clear as mud right!... I'll give you a little clue; Do you think it might be possible for a habitually deceptive and or criminal mind to have greater integrity than a seemingly regular and decent person. Challenging?.... Well of course the answer is YES! they can.......... Allow me to explain..

I've had a bit of fun with the "integrity" question in the past when interviewing and training staff and more often than not I would get the usual platitudes in reply, or more to the point, what the person thought I wanted to hear. It became clear to me that at the very least there was much confusion about the applied meaning of words and perceptions.

The above didn't mean that I interpreted these people as inherently dishonest or less than good, but it did cause me to question the day to day applied meaning of human integrity and how individuals might perceive reality. I came to the conclusion that if people didn't have a clear grasp what words mean, then how could they be expected to conduct themselves in a consistently reliable way. I concluded that this outcome was A) Not good for me, B) Not good for my business and C) Neither was it good for the very team of people that I relied upon to make my business run smoothly and successfully. That same philosophy has formed a very integral part of my own decision making when I make choices in business and similarly in other areas in my life as well.

Keep in mind the motivation behind this philosophical naval gazing was to improve workplace relations and to develop a compatible team of people who valued a mutually aligned system of internalised values. In a word 'harmony'. As an employer, it certainly helps to have a crystal clear grasp of such things. Why?... Well if the the head sherang doesn't get it, or can't clearly communicate the goal, then is it any wonder why so many businesses struggle to recruit and retain good staff and subsequently fail to succeed. Needless to say, the exact same principles apply in our daily lives and relationships as well.

This is a facsinating and involved topic and I have written and presented numerous training seminars on the subject.... What I will do before I jump on to my soap box is to ask if you would like me to contiune with this blog.....Please post your comment or check the 'interesting' box to let me know..


Christmas is only a few short weeks away. A time to remember and give thanks.
Cheers.
Ron