Integrity At Work - How Do You Show Up?

As the business sections of today's papers and magazines read more and more like the police blotter, ''Integrity'' is fast becoming a hot topc of conversation in business boardrooms, around water coolers, and in today's business best-sellers. Integrity is defined as walking the talk when it comes to living one's true values, being authentic. Take this self-assessment and explore how you walk your integrity talk when you show up at work.

Integrity is a lot like being pregnant. In other words, either you are pregnant, or you aren't. There's no middle ground. I''s the same with integrity.

At work, integrity is not a robe that one can put on and take off when it's convenient. However, day to day workplace behaviors more often than not seem to indicate convenience does lay a lare part in whether people show up in integrity or not. Who people are at work, and how people are at work, seems to change like the weather, the weather of convenience.

When asked, many folks say they believe they are, in fact, always acting in integrity. However, when we look at actual day-to-day, minute-by-minute workplace behaviors this is clearly not the case. Why? One reason is folks' basic needs for control recognition and security.

Because most people are driven by their egos and their ego needs for control, recognition and security, they often move away from their true and authentic self, from their deeper inner values, and behave in ways that are contrary to do-ing and be-ing in integrity.

So, do you think, feel and believe you live your core values at work, that you show up in integrity in your workplace? Take this self-assessment and explore who you are and how you are at work when it comes to integrity.

1. On an integrity scale of 1(low) to 10(high), how would you rate youself with it comes to the following workplace behaviors: (a) gossiping; (b) bullying; (c) viewing or downloading porn; (d) stealing physical materials; (e) stealine intellectual capital; (f) stealing time; (g) telling the truth; (h) taking responsibility for your piece of your team's projects; (i) making excuses; (j) being direct, open and honest in your communications; (k) respecting others; (l)

2. Who or what usually takes you our of interity?

3. When you're our of integrity, what kind of self-talk do you engage in?

4. Do your needs for control, recognition and security take you out of integrity?

5. Do you lie to yourself about being in integrity? If so, why?

6. Does it matter to you that you are out of integrity?

7. Do you use the same definition to define integrity for yourself and for others? If not, why not?

8. Do you respond if others act our of integrty and their actions directly affect you?

9. Do you respond if others act out of integrity and their actions affect your team, your unit, your department or your organization?

10. Do you ever excuse or rationalize your being out of integrity? If so, when and why?

At the end of the day, the workday, integrity is all about telling the truth about ourselves, to ourselves. It's all about living this truth.

Many of us are quick to judge and criticize others who act out of integrity. But truth be told, and it is all about the truth, many of us are just as prone to separate from our core values and act our of integrity when it's convenient in some way.

So, how did you do with your self-assessment? Who are you and how are you when it comes to showing up at work in integrity?

Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D, is co-founder of SpiritHeart, an Atlanta, GA firm specializing in coaching, counseling and facilitating. Peter focuses on personal, business and relationship coaching. He can be reached at 770-804-9125 and pvajda@spiritheart.net

---

Telephone Job Interview Preparation Tips

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUNDTelephone interviews are quite common in today's job... Read More

Age Discrimination is Alive and Unwelcome Here!

Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days.... Read More

Illegal Interview Questions -- Be Prepared

I'll quickly cover the following:A) Why Employer Ask Illegal Interview... Read More

Self-Preservation Techniques For The Unemployed

Looking for work can be difficult, frustrating, anxiety-provoking, and demeaning.There... Read More

Change Your Career, Change Your Life!

Lots of times I see and talk to people who... Read More

Free Resume Template: What Makes a Good One?

You can drown in the "free resume examples," "free resume... Read More

Bartending School Online- Earn Your Bartender Training From Home

Many young adults flock to bars, lounges and clubs on... Read More

Stop Searching for A Job and Start Attracting Professional Success!

1. Assess ? Evaluate your skills, interests and abilities. Understand... Read More

Job Dissatisfaction

Job dissatisfaction is a driving force behind individuals seeking employment... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Achieve Balance in Your Life

1. Define Success for YourselfClarify and write down what success... Read More

Surprise! Accounting is the Hot New Major

There was a time when accounting was the boring college... Read More

Integrity At Work - How Do You Show Up?

As the business sections of today's papers and magazines read... Read More

How to Reach Your Next Job Faster with Fewer Potholes, Roadblocks

Complacency damages your career more than lack of qualifications. The... Read More

How Long Does It Take To Write A Resume?

Many people can easily write a resume in just a... Read More

Job Interviews -- The Real Reasons Why You Need to Follow Up

Effective follow-up after a job interview is often a key... Read More

Seven Ways to Say You?re Fired and What to Do When It Happens to You

Today's employers scramble for creative ways to advise employees of... Read More

A Job is Not a Job

It only happened on Mondays. Sometimes I escaped... Read More

Do What You Love, Love What You Do

Everyone dreams of a life full of love and adventure.... Read More

4 Tips for Making Successful Job Offers

The interviews are completed, the paperwork is all filled out... Read More

Giving Notice: 6 Things to Do To Prepare to Leave

After days, weeks, months or longer of interviewing, you have... Read More

Job Hunting Tips: Accepting Judgment

Applying for work is stressful, no matter the circumstances. Even... Read More

Seven Ways to Stand Out in a Sea of Applicants

Is your résumé getting lost in a flood of résumés?... Read More

Negotiating Skills: How to Obtain the Salary You Want

Salary negotiating is an important topic that must be addressed... Read More

College Labor is Available in Ohio

Ohio has always been big on education and that means... Read More

Resume Software ? The Hidden Pitfalls

Disadvantages of Resume SoftwareFormat A large majority of software requires... Read More

4 Niche Job-Search Tips

Looking for a job on the Internet can be daunting.... Read More

Get a Life Why Dont Ya?!

It's okay to take your job seriously, to be a... Read More

How to Crash - Proof Your Job Search

Think you have the speed, endurance, and know-how to fix... Read More

Learn How To Network for HIDDEN Jobs

I'll quickly cover the following:A) Why Network With People? B)... Read More

How to Become a Real Estate Agent

If you're wondering how to become a real estate agent,... Read More

How to Become a Successful Freelance Translator

After completing their translation training programmes at higher professional education... Read More

Hey! - Are You Being Paid What You Are Worth?

Are you being paid what you are worth? Has anybody... Read More

Success at Work: Techniques: Computer Literacy

It's hard to believe that there are people in today's... Read More