“With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.” Zig Ziglar
Life lived out in real time will be a testament to your character, your integrity. What is within will come out. Good or bad it will come out. Integrity is a firm adherence to a moral code. Uniquely, a moral code is necessary to have integrity. Such things as respect, value of family, kindness, ability to compromise, negotiate, serve others, administer justice, and honesty determine a person’s motives.
Take the time, develop your honor. Practice daily. In time people will walk through a brick wall for you, and you for them.
Take a Minute: “Loyalty is not a virtue, even though it feels like the indispensable virtue. And the loyal person is not a saint, even though she (or he) feels like the chief of saints,” writes Forbes contributor Rob Asghar.
“Technically, loyalty is neither virtue nor vice. It’s simply a tendency, a temperament, a compulsion. But in practice, it fuels the worst movements and developments in human history, as well as much of the rot within ordinary offices today.
Loyalty is what allows followers to not merely overlook the crimes of their leaders, but to spin them into acts of heroism. It sires the worst in our politics today. It allows leaders to overlook the worst sins of their worst followers, thus turning their company or their cause into a toxic, sycophantic moral wasteland. It allows board members to tolerate or rationalize the bad behavior of their chief executive cronies.
Loyalty is such a force for destruction because it readily clashes with genuine virtues such as honesty and fairness – all while seeing itself as superior to those virtues … The challenge is to move organizations away from the notion of loyalty to persons and toward the notion of loyalty toward first principles. These principles include transparency, integrity, accountability, and a constant readiness to reform in whatever way is necessary – no matter whose personal interests may be affected.
It’s something of a management cliché to suggest that good leaders inspire loyalty. But the reality is that it’s often the bad ones who focus on that. Good leaders inspire principled behavior, not loyalty or obedience.
July 3, 2018, Excerpt from Forbes, Leadership Strategy, by Rob Asghar Contributor
Brick & Mortar
I’ll never forget being considered for a school leadership position.
“Hello, Mr. Hansen, this is Danny Teevens,” I said.
Good afternoon, Danny,” Bob said. “I know Janet Young, the principal at Fort Washington. She had given me your name as someone I should call to see if you are interested in the G.I.S. position here at Jefferson. Are you interested?”
“Mr. Hansen, I appreciate you considering me. I have a great deal of respect for Mrs. Young. But honestly, I have not considered becoming a school administrator,” I said.
Why is that, Danny?” he asked.
I said, “Well, I see so many administrators with their hair falling out, turning prematurely grey, and holed up in their office. I didn’t get into education for that.”
“Danny, what if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way,” he said. “You could still be involved with the teachers and the students, not stuck behind a desk getting old and isolated.”
“Well, that changes things. It makes me open to the possibility,” I said.
Monday afternoon arrived and I was introduced to a panel of teachers. Following some soft interrogation, I was escorted into the front office to meet with Mr. Hansen. He asked me a series of questions, one stuck with me.
“Danny,” Robert Hansen asked, “Will you be loyal to Clovis Unified?”
“Mr. Hansen,” I said, “I will always be loyal to what is right. If there is ever something I disagree with or question, I will never question you publicly. I will always talk with you personally, privately, and honestly. I would hope you would do the same with me. But I can’t sincerely say I will be loyal to brick and mortar, Clovis Unified. I love working within Clovis Unified. I will do what’s right. I will show you respect along with the teachers, students, and families with the utmost integrity.”
The call came. “Danny, congratulations, the job is yours if you want it,” Bob said.
My three years with Robert Hansen I was not stuck behind a desk. My hair was intact, and it didn’t turn grey prematurely. I have absolutely no regrets. If you are partnered with someone in leadership who understands this ‘count your blessings’. If not, be vigilant.
Take care, my friend 👍
