Can integrity coexist with profitable business?
I have been following several recent discussions on LinkedIn concerning integrity and the sales force. There seem to be two camps. The first group demands unceasing integrity while the second group is demanding the sale. There seems to be some tug of war here and I am not sure exactly why.
First let me state that this post may be severely biased because I am part of the first group and believe that everything you do and everything you are should be integrity based.
First of all, what is integrity?
For me integrity is ensuring that every action that I support is legal, moral and just.
For others it may be different.
The dictionary definition is:
in·teg·ri·ty
1. Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
2. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.
3. A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.
It seems logical to me that the adherence to these precepts would not only foster long-term business relationships, but also solidify a respectful working environment.
It is my assumption that the tug-of-war in these discussions is not because people wish to act unethically but rather that they are not exactly sure what integrity means.
I am a firm believer that those in business who do not act with a high level of integrity will eventually be cast out because some previous unethical act will catch up with them.
I for one would rather not live with that fear.
What is your opinion? Can integrity and smart business coexist?
Yes, I believe that integrity and business can and does coexist. You just have to search for the people that believe that way. They are out there.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that all to often people allow money to get in the way of moral and just business decisions.
This is one of the reasons we have the problems in the country today. Not enough emphasis has been placed on ethics and forcing those that act unethically to pay the consequences.