Integrity came from the Latin word Integritas or Integer in English. As you know, an integer is a whole number and cannot have decimals or fractions. In life, a person with integrity is incorruptible and 100% in terms of doing the right thing. It does not mean that the person will not make a mistake. It only says the person is doing what he or she thinks is right.
I’ve been an advocate of integrity for a long time already. I have a Chinese symbol tattoo on my back and one of the core values defined in Hilsoft’s core values.
In business or any workplace, you’ll be faced with a lot of scenarios that will challenge your integrity. There’s always a question of what is the best action for a particular problem. The first thing that we do is to reason with it and use our logic. If it couldn’t be explained through logic, then we follow our gut feel and intuition. But if integrity is within your core values, then that I think is the last filter to tell yourself if you’re making a sound decision or not.
I always hear from NBA coaches to play the game the right way. And most of the champions play the right way. What stuck to my mind is the 2004 Detroit Pistons led by coach Larry Brown and with no superstar player. They played the right way by passing the ball, selflessness and team chemistry and they were able to defeat the LA Lakers with an all-star team such as Shaq, Kobe, Karl, and Gary.
This example above gives integrity a strong argument, and that’s what I firmly believe. Would you choose positivity over negativity? Half full or half empty? I will never choose negative because positivity always wins. Cynical people may win in the short term, but in the long run, positive people or positive culture still prevails and wins.
So what are the practical ways to demonstrate integrity?
- Keep your commitments. Don’t say yes if you want to say no. If you say you will give feedback tomorrow, then provide feedback tomorrow.
- Let go of your ego. Sometimes our judgment is clouded because of ego. There came a time at Hilsoft where I had to let go of my perks and allow our finance team to controls my expenses. It’s my job to be a model for my team and let go of the ego when the finance team controls my costs. I also know that I am responsible for the survival of the company, our customers, employees, and our shareholders. They should all come first before me. It was difficult at first but I let the concept of integrity guide me.
- Take responsibility and accountability. If you made a mistake, admit it, and correct your errors.
- Don’t tolerate problems. People tend to tolerate problems when they see them. They always assume that it will take care of itself. It is not. So we have to resolve every issue that we see. It will never end but at least it doesn’t pile up.
- Negotiations should always be a win-win. Sometimes, people are tempted to win a deal without carefully assessing the other party’s benefit. This should apply not only to customers but also with employees and suppliers.
These are just a few examples. The takeaway here is to learn to always be in check on your decisions before making actions. Would you rather win but will bug you in your sleep forever or win with a peace of mind. An integrity-based decision to me is always a peace of mind. If you do this, then you have nothing to hide, and you won’t take criticisms seriously.