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Dear Friends and Clients,

In today’s issue, I’ll focus on striving for a state of integrity as part of the path toward success in your work.

I’ve hesitated to write about “integrity” because the word has taken on so many meanings related to morality and philosophy. It can be challenging to discuss the concept without sounding preachy or dogmatic.

But while I was still wondering whether integrity is too big an issue, I happened to have dinner with my 23-year-old niece, Emily, and several other young professionals. I asked them about the meaning of “integrity” in the context of their jobs.

Emily seemed to think that it’s pretty simple. She said, “It means doing what you say you’ll do.” Precisely. That gets to the heart of the matter. And if you concentrate on conducting your work life with integrity, many issues related to professional achievement will sort themselves out fairly easily.

Warmly, Bev


Simplify Your Work Life
By Striving Toward Integrity

June 6, 2006 * Number 39
One of the best ways to simplify some of the pressures and complexities in your work life is to focus your attention on achieving integrity.

The word “integrity” derives from the word for wholeness and is associated with a broad range of positive character traits, like honesty and soundness. Some people say that you have integrity if you behave in the same way whether or not anybody else is looking.

One of my favorite discussions of integrity is in Gay Hendricks’ and Kate Ludeman’s book on corporate leadership, “The Corporate Mystic.” These authors discuss integrity not so much as a moral issue, but more as a practical choice. They say that integrity comes down to three things:

• Being authentic with yourself;
• Being authentic with others; and
• Doing the things you have said you would do.

Integrity feels good and brings you energy. In a state of integrity, you are able to listen to others, to focus on the task at hand, and to summon up all your resources and creativity.

On the other hand, when you are not in a state of integrity you might feel anxious, distracted or exhausted. For an example, think about how you feel when you’re missing deadlines, when you’re letting people down, or when you’re living a lie.

Being out of integrity wastes time, keeps you awake at night, and adds needless complexities to your life. And, like Freud said, “Secrets make you sick.”

In the wake of the Enron debacle, much has been written about professional integrity, and numerous boards and organizations have tightened their codes of ethics and behavior. Typically, the hoopla about professional integrity has focused on the big stuff, like keeping your hand out of the company till.

Most of us are pretty honest, and not likely to embezzle from our clients or employers. The big transgressions aren’t likely to tempt us. However, we can feel out of integrity if we ignore the little things.

If you want to bring new energy to your work life by moving toward a higher standard of integrity, look for ways to tighten your routine behavior. Consider these strategies, as you seek to move into greater integrity:

  • Be cautious about making promises. Don’t agree to do something unless you intend to do it. It’s easier to say “no” at the beginning than it is to get out of an agreement that no longer is important to you.

  • Honor promises that come with the job. If you accept the assignment, acknowledge the deadlines and conditions that are part of the deal. If you don’t respect the team or the task, consider whether you really want the job.

  • Keep your promises. Once you have made a promise, resist the temptation to blow it off. Avoid misunderstandings and free up your creative energy by putting your promises in writing and on your schedule. And if you tend to forget or feel overwhelmed by your commitments, look for a better system for keeping track.

  • Be on time. One key to living in integrity is to show up when you are supposed to. If you consistently arrive late, or don’t arrive at all, you complicate your relationships with other people and undercut your integrity.

  • Don’t whine. Living in integrity means accepting responsibility and getting on with the job. Don’t waste your energy, and that of other people, with excuses, tedious explanations, or prolonged complaints. Being honest doesn’t mean being a drama queen.

  • Apologize. If you do break a promise or miss a deadline, say that you’re sorry, do what you can to mitigate the damage, genuinely commit yourself to doing better next time, and then move on. People without integrity might handle broken agreements by casting blame on others, denying that the breach occurred or becoming defensive.

  • Focus on what’s important. The classic 80/20 Rule says that about 20% of your activity will produce about 80% of the results. In other words, most productivity comes from a small portion of the things you do. To apply the 80/20 Rule, however, you must develop priorities, and devote most of your attention to the things that really matter. You’ll feel out of integrity if you ignore the big ticket items and lavish your attention on the trivial.

    • Want to Read More About
    Achieving Integrity?

    Below is a brief book review, as well as links that will allow you to buy the book directly from Amazon.com. For reviews of other helpful books, along with Amazon links, go to: ClearWays Books and Services. If you buy a book this way it will contribute to the cost of distributing Bev’s Tips, and be much appreciated.

    The Corporate Mystic, by Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., and Kate Ludeman, Ph.D., 1996.

    The authors say that if you want to find a genuine mystic, look in a boardroom, rather than a monastery. They define Corporate Mystics as leaders who operate from a base of integrity, pursue their visions with passion and compassion, and evoke the full potential of those with whom they come in contact. And, they say, Corporate Mystics live from a spiritual base, operating their business for more than just money.

    The authors draw on their many years of consulting experience to paint a portrait of a new breed of executive who achieves great success while living a fulfilling and authentic life. According to the authors, Corporate Mystics understand that the first secret of success in business is to say only things that are true and to say them with total consistency.

    Most personal or corporate disasters, they say, begin with an integrity problem. “Left untended, like a tiny shimmy in your front wheels, a small integrity problem can escalate quickly to shake loose anything that’s not tightly connected. When things are not going well and you cannot figure out why, assume an integrity glitch.”

    If you’re not at ease with the course you are on, the authors say, ask whether you are being authentic with yourself and others, and whether you have broken any agreements.

    Click here to buy this book.




    Want to get more from your work life? Bev offers executive coaching and leadership consulting, and is available to speak about a broad range of issues related to your work life. Visit her website at www.ClearWaysConsulting.com or email to Bev directly. Bev is associated with Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates.





    Bev’s Tips for a Better Work Life is published on the first and third Tuesday of each month by Beverly E. Jones of ClearWays Consulting, LLC.   Bev is a lawyer and former executive who now coaches accomplished CEO's, public afffairs executives, and other professionals to bring new direction, energy and enjoyment to their work lives.

    Copyright ©2006, ClearWays Consulting, LLC  & Beverly E. Jones

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