The coach was rewarded for toughing it out. The soccer team, playing in a more difficult division, had a good season. But the best part of the story is what happened on the job: he earned a bonus for outstanding performance!
Historian Arnold Toynbee observes that of 21 notable civilizations, 19 perished "not from external conquest but from the evaporation of belief within." In his address to the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, Charles H. Brower remarked that, "Today our country still has a choice. I believe it has always begun to make that choice. I believe it is going back to its old beliefs--such things as ideas, pride, patriotism, loyalty, devotion and even hard work." Though those words were spoken over three decades ago, they still ring true today.
Curiously, we discount acts of integrity practiced by others, not believing that they can have done what they've done simply because they thought it to be right. Paradoxically, we're quick to condemn others who vividly display a lack of integrity, all the while overlooking or forgetting our own lapses.
Emily Carruthers was a teacher in an elementary school in Spokane. A dispute between the school administration and the teacher's union surfaced. At a union meeting the teachers discussed striking. After the vote to strike, Carruthers got up and voiced her opinion. She knew her opinion would be unpopular and she knew that she would alienate people because of it. Nevertheless, she told the teachers that she would cross the picket line as she deplores strikes.
What is integrity?
Many things, really. Perhaps it is the pivotal concept of what it means to be human and involves fully accepting one's humanity. Integrity has many synonyms, however, no single synonym is sufficient -- trustworthiness, loyalty, virtue, sincerity, candor, uprightness, honesty. Integrity is also the avoidance of deception and the avoidance of expediency. It is being complete and undivided.
During a bitter cold snap, quick action by concerned neighbors stopped flooding from a burst pipe in an unoccupied house. Early one morning, water was spotted gushing from under the back door of the house. Two neighbors, who had no key, got inside by dismantling a window frame.
They found the entire lower level of the house flooded with two feet of frigid water. The two men ignored the icy geyser spraying from the ruptured pipe and shut off the water line. Using push brooms, they swept the water out the back door. They moved furnishings upstairs to dry out. Then they reassembled the window frame.
Another challenge was notifying the homeowners of the situation. Neighbors knew only that they were visiting relatives in the Miami area. Long distance directory assistance provided a list of a half dozen people with the same Iranian surname. On the second call, the residents were located. Because of the early notification, they were able to expedite the insurance claim. Neighborly resourcefulness and persistence had averted a major household disaster.
Integrity is an achievement, not a gift. It is not the characteristic that determines decisions. It is the summation of the decisions we've made. Integrity communicates to others immediately. It is being the same person to everyone. It's not noble; it's not altruistic; it is a practical vehicle for living effectively, for having life work. It is maintaining values steadfastly and focusing on what you believe is right.
By Jeff Davidson and Christie Ray Harrison
Jeff Davidson is "The Work-Life Balance Expert®," a preeminent time management authority, the author of 56 mainstream books, and an electrifying professional speaker. He is the author of "Breathing Space," "Simpler Living," and the 60 Second Series. Jeff believes career professionals today have a responsibility to achieve their own sense of work-life balance. He supports this through BreathingSpace.com.
Christie Ray Harrison is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is pursuing a degree in Editing and Graphic Design from the journalism school. She has worked as a public relations management intern and she currently interns for the Breathing Space Institute, where she assists with editing, proofreading, research, online marketing, and social media strategy. More info can be found on christierayharrison.com, or on LinkedIn.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Davidson
Monday, August 30, 2010
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