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Integrity – It’s Not Taught in Schools By Alvaro Vaselli Integrity is a personal choice, and overtime it defines who we are In my last article (Are you doing what it takes to build a high performance team?), I highlighted seven vital tips that every leader should consider when building a high performance team. One of the themes explored was the obvious concept of “doing the right thing” as being the essence of ethics and integrity. It touched on what’s right and wrong in human conduct. It explored the question of what leaders ought to do when faced with a dilemma or “not-so-good” choices. And as I said in that article, we leaders make decisions all the time. It’s our job and we are being evaluated by how we decide, by our bosses, by our peers, by our subordinates, by our loved ones and our families. It’s our choice, and over a lifetime, it defines who we really are. Integrity is the common denominator of trust As I watch the political scene and selection process for the new leader of the United States of America, I felt compelled to expand on the element of integrity. I promise this is not a political article, as I’m not qualified to discuss in any depth the caliber of these potential candidates. But I do feel compelled to discuss integrity in the context of leadership. Whether it’s in the leadership of a small community group, a company or an entire country, integrity is perhaps the most important quality of a leader. It’s the one quality that empowers, strengthens, liberates and equalizes us. Integrity is the quality of being honest, having strong moral principles and consistency of character. It is undeniably the common denominator of trust, a critical factor in any personal or business relationship. Where does integrity come from? Is integrity taught in schools? Do we learn it at home? Do our parents lecture us about it? Is it displayed on TV? Certainly not on recent presidential candidate debates. Do we observe and learn integrity in society? Is it self-imposed? Is it shaped by our life lessons? Do we need to make mistakes, learn and adjust to develop and strengthen? Maybe all of the above. I don’t really profess to know. What I do believe is that continued displays of integrity get engraved into our character overtime. It works like a muscle that needs to be exercised and strengthened, so it will show how solid you are and reveal who you really are. Winners Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said it best: “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they don’t have the first one, the other two will kill you.” A powerful statement for sure. I used to do business with a company called Huntsman, a multi- billion-dollar chemical supplier of advanced materials, performance products and additives to a variety of market segments. Their founder, Mr. Jon Huntsman, Sr., started the company from scratch and once said in his book “Winners Never Cheat:” “There are no moral shortcuts in the game of business or life. There are basically three kinds of people – the unsuccessful, the temporarily successful and those who become and remain successful. The difference is character.” Mr. Huntsman says that integrity is the reason that he has been as successful as he is. Temporary winners There are many examples of temporary winners. Enron, for example, was cited as one of the most innovating and successful companies in America. The CEO of the company knew the most important people in the country, including the President of the United States. Unfortunately, Enron’s success was built on lies, and the “temporary winners” who led the company are now case studies in the lack of integrity. Integrity starts at home Going back to my original questions: Where does Integrity come from? Is it self imposed? Is it shaped over time? Is it taught in schools? My father is a 75-year-old man who still works every day at his own accounting firm in São Paulo, Brazil. I don’t ever remember having a lecture from him on integrity, nor do I remember having a particular class on integrity. What I do remember from him are numerous displays of doing the right thing when nobody was watching, day after day, year after year. And certainly not bragging about it. A few years ago, my older son who was 16 or 17 at the time had a few sessions with a life coach to help him with certain decisions he had to make. In one of the feedback sessions I had with him, the coach emphasized the strong moral principles my son had and his differential sense of righteousness, for his age. While I was proud to hear that, it made me think for a minute about what I had really done to create or influence such a quality on my son. I couldn’t come-up with a specific answer. As I think about it now, I believe that this imprint in character is developed over time and it starts at home, in everything we do whether someone is watching or not. Integrity will lead us to a better place Circumstances will influence us and situations will tempt us to deviate from what we know is right. Being aware of this fact all the time and doing the right thing every time is the best way to encourage the people around us to do the same. As we individually progress in this continuum, we will be moving in the right direction as a society and improving our chances of watching a display of integrity by our presidential candidates on television or when actually leading the country for the world to see. After all, “The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” Confucius. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Alvaro Vaselli is a Senior Global Business Executive with a 20+ year record of driving profitable growth in multiple B2B industries. Most recently, he was President of the Personal Care Division of a $1B industry leader in the plastic films business. Alvaro’s roles have included general management, business development, sales and marketing. He has a strong International background and speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish. Learn more at www.linkedin.com/in/alvarovaselli, or contact Alvaro at 484-432-3437 or avaselli@mac.com.
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