On many fronts, Integrity is important to me.
Many who know me have heard about the Integrity Experiment we conducted in 2005.
Prior to 2005, I had this concern about business people and businesses using the word ‘integrity’. My concern focused on the fact many people could not provide a definition of the word and even when others could define it the definitions were weak and different.
So, it seemed to me business people were confused about the meaning of Integrity.
So, the next time the topic of Integrity came up…I created a real-business-life Integrity experiment.
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My definition was and still is…
Definition of Integrity
- When you know your Personal Values and
- When you can express your Personal Values in writing [showing how you think the think] and
- When you can talk with others about your Personal Values [talk the talk] and
- When your actions are consistent with your Personal Values [walk the walk] and
- When you acknowledge your think-talk-walk errors and strive to not repeat them
…then you have Integrity.
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Still very interested in Integrity and what it means to other people…recently I found a CD.
Here’s an introduction to that CD on Integrity…
In 1983, at the age of 87, R. Buckminster Fuller began to share the details of his thoughts about the need for Integrity at “Integrity Days” sessions. His first session was held in Los Angeles, February 26th, 1983. I listened to a recording of that ‘classic’ session. Buckminster Fuller died 4 months after that first session.
At the February 26th, 1983 session, when asked to define Integrity “Bucky” paused for about 15 seconds then said:
“I find I have to use the word courage due to the circumstances of humanity …the courage to cooperate or initiate based entirely on the truth, all the truth, and nothing but the truth as the divine mind within you tells you the truth is…it does require a courage and a self-disciplining.”
Now, isn’t that quite a definition!