How to Use Wisdom, Discernment, and Integrity in Your Organization

Yesterday's second installment in this series ended with "What if we decided to be intentional about the use of wisdom, discernment, and integrity. . .? And how would that happen?"

Wisdom and Business? The Thought Exists.

Beginning in 1917, Forbes Magazine set aside its last page for "Thoughts on the Business of Life". It was B.C. Forbes' hope that wise words and reflections by sages and thinkers throughout the centuries would "inspire a philosophic mode of life, broad sympathies, charity to all."

His vision was one of thoughtful reflection, a wide range of understanding, and reaching out to others.

Today it's common to see posters, desk ornaments, appointment books, and presentation slides showing inspirational, wise, and motivational maxims. At some level--as business people--we acknowledge the importance of wisdom. We have to wonder, then, what is happening in daily practice when we see the onslaught of blog posts, newspaper articles, and scandals that reflect frustration with a lack of managerial wisdom, personal integrity, and basic kindness toward others.

What is happening that causes managers, employees, and organizations who acknowledge the importance of wisdom and integrity to then struggle in their ability to live that way?

First:  It's Personal Before It's Organizational.

Organizations are collections of individuals. The only place an organization exists as an entity is on its papers of incorporation and stock certificate. Past that, the organization is a community of people. Each person brings values, aspirations, talent, and one's overall "self" to the business. As a result, if you want an organization of wise people that act with integrity, the individuals within have to possess those attributes. In the words of B.C. Forbes, they would possess a "philosophic mode of life."

In practical terms, that means that they see themselves as learners and an incomplete work. Companies would be wise to invest extra time and energy in validating whether a new hire or candidate for promotion has a passion for personal growth--not just a passion for learning. Personal growth implies depth, not just breadth. If I were to complete 3 different doctoral programs but gain no deeper understanding of myself in relation to those around me, what have I gained that will improve the nature of my organization and my life?

And Yes, It Is About You

Before embarking on a hiring campaign, expanding your leadership skills, or seeking a promotion, understand that the integrity of that process begins with your own integrity. The extent to which you are clear about what is honestly important to you; what is honestly important to your business; and what you can honestly present or offer to another will influence your success.

Why?

In addition to the common definition "honesty and incorruptibility," integrity is the "quality or state of being complete or undivided."

Here's what that means in real terms. It means that unless you are undivided about who you are--and who you are not--you lack integrity. The building in which you work has a certificate of occupancy that was only granted after it was tested for structural integrity.

If you were tested right now on how clear and undivided you are about who you are, would you get a certificate of occupancy?

Here's what I really hope will be a useful tip if you want to be a person of integrity:

I struggled for a long time in getting focused--getting honest--about what I wanted for the future scope of my practice. Every time I tried to define it I thought of all of the consulting, coaching, and speaking projects and engagements I had done over the years. I thought of all the things I hoped to do and wanted to be. It led to nothing but long lists and wasted energy. One morning I awoke fresh and this question came to mind:

1. "What are all of the things you are not?"

2. "What are all of the things you do not want to be?"

3. "Are you telling yourself the truth?"

It catapulted the process into the ozone. Try it. It is easy to list all of the things you don't want to become. It is an exercise in honesty to list all of the things that you are not. And, quite frankly, you'll know right away whether you are lying to yourself or not. And if you think you can't see something accurately, ask a friend, colleague, coach...

We are used to equating additive processes with success. But that only creates more "stuff."  Getting rid of what you don't want is like cleaning your storage room. After tossing out what is obviously junk, you can clearly and more accurately see what is left and what you value enough to keep.

(Try it. Really. And let me know via email or a comment how it goes).

So, for organizational wisdom: start with personal integrity and clarity. If we don't know who we are, we can't see clearly who others are. Our discernment is distorted. The images that we see are being reflected from an internal mirror that is made of frosted glass. Only a clear, smooth coating will do.

Note: If you truly have been honest with yourself--then take a job that you know is not a fit, but you must earn some money --understand what you have done. Should your colleagues or boss behave in ways that are inconsistent with your defined values, it is not their problem. You have made a short-term decision to violate your integrity. This will probably present a terrific opportunity to gain wisdom, should you choose.

And Next, It's Organizational

I'm sure many of us have been involved in vision, mission, values activities at work. But that phenomenon seems to have lost steam. What was an attempt to get organizations to "dig deep" in determining what they were really about has morphed into wall plaques, sound bites, and the headings of annual reports. What was designed to offer purpose-driven and moral guidance has, for many, become another exercise-du-jour. (There are also many companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Minerals Technologies who work at living out their guiding principles. I have consulted often with both and have been impressed by both. Alex Kjerulf has added his related comments as well as a real-life story about how employees can view their company if values are lived out as they are at Southwest Airlines ).

What is the answer, then?

If companies want to hire and promote the best, they need to re-visit their values and "who we are" in deeply clear and meaningful ways. There is no way to discern "best fit" without understanding "who we are" and "what we hold dear." To send an HR person or manager into the "talent wars"  without those is akin to sending them into battle unarmed. They may come back with a warm body, but it will be a prisoner and not a contributor. 

Wisdom, Discernment, Integrity, and Speed

Every major religion has a principle that addresses the relationship between stillness, sound decisions, and wisdom. I'm not naive to the inner workings of profit-making organizations. Heck. I am a profit making organization (regardless of what my accountant says).

If you and your organization truly want to do the wise thing, genuinely want to discern what is true and what is not, and create organizational integrity (both honesty and structure); then allow the time needed to do so. Clarity doesn't exist in the midst of a blur. Wisdom isn't acquired from reading quotations; it is acquired as a result of taking time to be quotable yourself. And  personal wholeness and structural soundness aren't built on rapidly shifting values and foundational quicksand.

Become the wise, discerning, person of integrity that you want your organization to be.

Someone has to go first. Someone who values the wisdom of that decision. Why not you?

My thanks to Mike Wagner, Alex Kjerulf, Peter Vajda (do read Peter's comments), and Eric Carlson who have taken time to thoughtfully comment and email on the topic. 

 

Comments

[peter vajda]

The beat goes on and thanks, Steve, for the continued inquiry. Some thoughts:

Ghandi said, "Be the change you want to see." The change/integrity/honesty mantra today is more, "You go first and I'll wait and see what happens to you; then, maybe, I'll go next. But, just maybe." Hmmm

One of the ways an individual is an "incompelte work" shows up as the lack of alignment between one's inner behavior and one's outer behavior. This disconnect, or lack of congruence, for me, is the root cause of showing up out of integrity. The split self. An imbalance.

The Alpha and Omega of integrity, for me, is values. Few of us take the time to explore and consciously reflect on our core, inner, deep values, those beliefs or principles that determine how we conduct our life and create our personal code of conduct at work (at home, and at play.)in relationship with our self and in relationship with others...and with our organization.

Or, if we do take the time to reflect and get clear and honest (the inner), what often happens is the daily practice of living our life at work does not reflect our core values (the outer) and thus, the disconnect, the incongruence.

Another reason for the incongruence is that many slip into the belief that integrity issues are caused by a small group of corporate psychopaths, largely at the “C” level on the 53rd floor. That, "Oh, it's not about me!." Always, it's about "him, her, it or them."

It's important to know that while there are "excuses" to be and act out of integrity, there are never "reasons."

At the end of the day, as you say, it is all about telling the truth.

There's an interesting phenomena I often point to when coaching folks in the personal development and personal growth arena — that a vast majority of folks think "taking about" an issue, or process, or strategy is tantamount to action.

That "I think" and "I know" somehow, for many, morphs into "I am." That "I think" and "I know", energetically,can even give someone a bodily, "felt-sense" of relief, or settledness, or "grounding" experience— the same immediate bodily sense experience that comes with actually, physically completing a challenging task. It's not unlike the emotional, physical and psychological feeling that often accompanies a huge, insightful "AHA!". "Oh, wow, now I get it!" It actually FEELS like I "did" something; many equate this "felt sense experience" with action, with a "faux" sense of accomplishment. Until......until they consciously realize that nothing has happened except they have stored some additional information or knowledge in a tiny molecule in their brain. Nothing more; nothing less. But, in reality, no action has taken place; knowing is not doing.

People of integrity don't live compartmentalized lives; their morals, ethics, treatment of others and overall character are the same wherever they are, whatever they're doing.

When it comes to being in integrity, each of is us the master of our own destiny (and, per force, our legacy). Other people and external forces might test us in various ways, but at the end of the day, we alone control our integrity. Victims, blamers, and those living a life characterized by a "victim consciousness" notwithstanding.

I like your three questions, Steve, "What are all of the things you are not?", "What are all of the things you do not want to be?" and "Are you telling yourself the truth?"

For me, in my coaching work, this is where the soulful rubber of integrity meets the soulful road of integrity. And when we discover we are not telling ourselves the truth (the average person lies to their self and others, in some way, in some flavor, some 80 times a day)....the question is, "What's right about not telling myself the truth?"

For me and the folks I coach, this place is where the "work" begins...where, at the outset, most folks get squeamish and begin to resist in some way, shape or form...lying, rationalizing, blaming, numbing out, denying, distorting, going "unconscious." But, this is where one must start if one is to walk their integrity talk...go inside and ask the tough questions...if they are to live their life from a place of a quiet mind, a peaceful heart, a relaxed body and present moment awareness..from a place of "I am really OK" in my world and "know" truly discern this to be the truth, the Truth.

The work has to do with looking at one's fear and resistance about telling the truth, about why they choose to live out of integrity, to be dishonest and duplicitous with themselves, first, and then with others....most often due to one's ego needs for control, recognition and security (mental, emotional, physical, financial, social...)

So,

Me, go first? Hmmm.

My clients (and, me too, Steve, in my own years of ongoing personal growth work) will tell you: this type of exploration and personal inquiry is just plain tough, challenging, uncomfortable, vulnerable, and no walk in the park...but a process that's necessary if one is to free one's self from the beliefs, perspectives, assumptions, and self-sabotaging and self-destructive self images (e.g., who I think I am, who I think I have to be in order to be "somebody", who I should be, and what will others think of me...) in order to show up in my life at work as my True and Real Self.

Much easier to read about, discuss, think about....than actually "do" and "be"...which is why so many respond, "You go first."

The opening slide of my workshop on integrity says:
-----------------------------
So far today, God, I've done alright.

I haven't gossiped, haven’t cheated, stolen, lied, been disrespectful, irresponsible, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or overindulgent.

But in a few minutes, I'm going to get out of bed — and I'm probably going to need a lot more help.
------------------------
It takes guts, courage, intestinal strength and fortitude, self-love and compassion...to live a life of integrity, especially at work.

Wisdom, discernment and integrity are, first and foremost, soul qualities, not intellectual qualities. We cannot "think" our way into wisdom, discernment and integrity...as hard as we try. These qualities come from inside...from self-reflection, inquiry, exploration and really, really, really telling the truth.

As I say, Life is Choices. One can chose to live life in integrity or one can choose not to. If one chooses not to, the $10 question is "Why?" Really, really, really, "Why?

"Who am I and how am I when it comes to integrity?" and Why?

I appreciate your taking the time for this exploration, Steve,an exploration which I, for one, see as critical to developing healthy leaders, managers, supervisors and employees in the current and future business environment, an exploration that requires honest introspection, self-reflection, and a willingness to eliminate dysfunctional behaviors that negatively affect the workplace atmosphere.

[Steve Roesler]

Peter,

My deepest thanks for taking so much time to read and obviously even more time to formulate the attendant comments. I have no difficulty confessing that this is a tough topic to put out there within the context of All Things Workplace. There are probably assumptions that folks make when they come to the site and many may be disappointed that I don't go with the "Three things you must know" approach on many of the posts.

Next month--I have to check the incorporation papers for the exact day--I'll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the incorporation of the practice. During that time, I have trained, consulted, and coached and the clients now number in the thousands. So I had to sit back and say "What did every engagement have in common as its core truth?"

The answer is that, while our time together may have been in the service of professional growth, the core issue--regardless of subject matter--was personal growth. Perhaps expanding that with some detail would make for a useful post. . .

Warmest thanks again, Peter, for your diligence and thoughtfulness in adding to, and encouraging, the conversation.

[Alemu Mammo]

I am interested in deeper understanding of distinct nature of : wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Sometimes, these are confused in that they seem to overlap too mcuh and other time, they far apart.
But, is there a way to present them distnict but also relate to each other in some areas.