Word-Of-the-Week #997: Integrity

September 14, 2023 by · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #997: Integrity 

Integrity steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. 

Would your staff, co-workers, family, and friends say that you are an honest person? Whom do you know that you trust implicitly?  Do you have a clear sense of what is “right and wrong?”

This week features the final part from If someone displays these 8 behaviors, they have a genuine heart,” by Lachlan Brown, from HackSpirit.

To Recap: People with a genuine heart display these behaviors –

  1. Active Listening
  2. Consistent Authenticity
  3. Embracing Vulnerability
  4. Unafraid of Unpopularity
  5. Valuing Depth Over Surface
  6. Small Acts, Big Heart 
  1. A Non-Judgmental Nature

Genuine-hearted people have a remarkable quality: they refrain from quick judgments.

In a world quick to label, to box people in, and to jump to conclusions, they take a step back and seek to understand.

They realize that every individual has a story, a past, and battles that others might not be privy to.

Instead of casting stones or making assumptions, they approach situations and people with empathy and openness.

Their first instinct is not to criticize or point fingers but to lend a listening ear, to be a shoulder to lean on, and to offer a safe space for candid conversations.

This non-judgmental nature not only makes them approachable, but it also allows them to build deeper connections with those around them.

They see the human behind the mistake, the soul behind the story, and the heart behind the facade.

Their acceptance and understanding create an environment where others feel validated, heard, and valued.

  1. Unwavering Integrity

The cornerstone of a genuine heart is an unshakable sense of integrity.

These individuals stand firm in their principles, even when no one is watching.

For them, doing the right thing isn’t about external validation or recognition; it’s a deeply ingrained part of who they are.

I recall an old coworker who once found an envelope filled with a significant amount of money at a company event.

Without hesitation, she reported it and ensured it was returned to its rightful owner, despite no one having witnessed her discovery.

It wasn’t about the praise or potential reward; it was simply the right thing to do.

Such genuine-hearted people become the moral compasses in their communities.

Their actions, rooted in honesty and trustworthiness, inspire others to elevate their own standards.

With them, promises aren’t empty words, and commitments aren’t taken lightly.

Their integrity shines through their consistency, transparency, and the unwavering commitment to their values.

In a fluctuating world, their steadfast integrity is both comforting and inspiring.

This week’s focus is all about your integrity. Are you able to stand firm in your principles without fear of judgement? Can you approach situations and people with empathy and openness without making assumptions? Are your actions rooted in honesty and trustworthiness?

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WOW Word-Of-the-Week #358: Integrity

June 8, 2011 by · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #358: Integrity 

Integrity – steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.

Would your staff, co-workers, family, and friends say that you are an honest person? Whom do you know that you trust implicitly?  Do you have a clear sense of  what is “right and wrong?”

This week’s WOW features more excerpts from the chapter in Chris’ book featuring, “The Six Guidelines I Ask Of My Direct Reports.”

Guideline #4 – Integrity

Dalai Lama

“To provide real solutions, we must act with integrity and have honest conversations about the reality of the healthcare environment. As children, most of us took honesty for granted. You don’t realize that the world isn’t always truthful until that first time someone lies to you.” – Dr. Jeffrey Weisz, Executive Medical Director, Southern California Permanente Medical Group

“High performing organizations have leaders that make decisions and take action based on strong social values and high integrity. We all like to think we have integrity. But what does it look like? What behaviors do you think of? As leaders, we exhibit integrity when we ‘walk the talk’ and act as good role models for the vision we espouse, when our behaviors are consistent with our values, and when we hold to our values – our personal values, as well as ‘our organization’s values’ – during good times and bad.”

“At Intel, the officially sanctioned norm of behavior is to ‘disagree and commit.’  They expect each employee to express his or her opinion openly, even if it goes against the grain of the group. They have an obligation to speak up and ask questions. In our organization, if you have questions, you should ask them. If you have a better idea, you should share it. If you think a decision is wrong or ill founded, you should say so. And once a decision is made, you should stand behind it.”

“A climate of honesty and integrity leads to trust, and trust leads to openness. People will be more creative, innovative and open to change. Change tests all of us. We are naturally opposed to things that are different than what we are used to.”

This week’s focus is on integrity.  Do you know anyone who often times doesn’t tell the truth? Are you comfortable expressing your opinion openly? Do you believe you can disagree without being disagreeable?

Reader Responses

“It’s not a coincidence that  folks with Integrity have “Grit”!:)” – John

“Everyone wants to have integrity. I heard someone say once that how we act when no one is watching is a good sign of a person’s integrity. Being able to look in the mirror and see who we really are, not when others are around. In the 30-plus years I have worked in the corporate world, I have seen a lot of people who talk the talk, but never walked the walk. Usually, they are the loudest. But behind the scenes, their integrity is lacking. No one is born with integrity. But it is ingrained in us as we experience life. We can see integrity in others, especially corporate hierarchy, in their decision-making. Unfortunately, many peoples’ decisions are based on self-interest. They will do what they need to do, and let the chips fall where they may. What happens to those people is that they do not get respect. Without integrity and respect, we do not go far in this world. But they must be earned each and every day. There are many who practice “situational” integrity, picking and choosing their spots as to when to exercise integrity. This does not work or help earn respect. It has to be an everyday practice. While we must be true to ourselves, we have to act with integrity as an example to everyone in our daily lives. Great word, Susan. Take care.” – “Warrior” Joe

WOW Word-Of-the-Week #78: Integrity

May 12, 2009 by · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #78: Integrity 

Integrity – firm adherence to a code of moral values; incorruptibility.

Did you know that the number one most sought definition online this year was integrity?

According to John Morse, president of Webster’s, “About 20,000 people looked it up. I think the American people have isolated a very important issue for our society to be dealing with. The entire list gives us an interesting window that opens up into what people are thinking about in their lives.”

Ralph Whitehead, a journalism professor at the University of Massachusetts, said “It may indicate the continuing discussion about American values and morality, or perhaps that integrity itself is becoming scarce so its definition is unfamiliar.”

Now that’s truly scary! I believe the most important thing you have, is your integrity. With all of the political corruption that was exposed this year, I just hope people are not resigning themselves to the fact that “No one has integrity, so why should I?”

Integrity defines who you are as a person. It is what connects you to people. It creates deep trust. Those that have it will attract others like themselves. Those that don’t will attract others like themselves.

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”  – Confucius

Now the question is, “Which type of person do you want to attract? Do you know what your code of moral values is?”

Reader Responses

“Thought for the day…. Words of encouragement may cost nothing to give,but they’re priceless to the receiver. So give frequently and abundantly.” — John Beck

“INTEGRITY, without it, we will perish as a people. Awesome stuff!” — Don Vance

“This one is particularly good.” — Art Rosengarten

“I really enjoy getting your emails every week. Each word gets me thinking (as it is supposed to do!)and I thought the email this week to be quite interesting. The vague definition of “code of moral values” triggered me to ask…if you have low moral values, but are firm in what those values are, do you still have integrity? I have always been taught that integrity is linked to high moral values and those values were reinforced through my religious upbringing. If someone is raised with values that I consider to be lower than mine, but they were taught to be “firm in their adherence” to what they considered adequate values, I wonder if in their own mind, they have integrity?” –Patricia Ashbrook