When boundaries are tested, strength is demanded. Professional integrity will endure the harshest of business blows. Welcome critics to assess the foundation of sound principles. All is revealed in troubling times.
High standards excel above and beyond mediocre or lackadaisical performances. Transparency clears up any uncertainty. It’s only the ignorant that think power of such magnitude can be easily trampled.
High standards excel above and beyond mediocre or lackadaisical performances. Click To TweetPower is actualized only when word and deed have not parted company. – Hannah Arendt
A promotion.
Close professional bonds are an additional bonus in our everyday working lives. Friendships are formed and trust develops over time.
A promotion shifts these dynamics. It should be a time for celebration. Yet this step up has the potential to create animosity in established relationships. Job titles change as pay rates increase.
With a new position comes more responsibility. Confidentiality is a priority. No longer able to disclose employee details or gossip within the group.
A struggle develops when attempting to balance new rules with old work friends. Moving up the corporate ladder is not achieved with sloppy work ethics. Professional integrity is at stake.
Don’t get caught in the myths.
Have you seen the quote saying, ‘You teach others how to treat you’? People will show where new working boundaries are required. Whether it’s personally or professionally you’re not responsible for the words and actions of others.
However, there is truth and a lesson in this statement. By instilling your own values into business you show people what is acceptable behaviour. You never teach people how to treat you. You have no power over how others conduct themselves. Nor do you want to invest time into behaviour.
By instilling your own values into business you show people what is acceptable behaviour. Click To TweetIf professionals have no sense of self, you certainly won’t be able to rein in their actions. All these individuals will teach you is where tolerance levels start and stop.
Time wasters are a burden to productivity.
People who have more time up their sleeves than they do goals. Managing these individuals is critical to output.
Time wasters are similar to spam. They take up your time while you’re going about business. Tolerate them quietly. Let them reveal themselves.
Give everyone an opportunity to be a valued member of your community. Certain individuals will bring themselves to attention by constantly testing your boundaries. You can do nothing with these people. They’re motivated for the wrong reasons.
When necessary stop all lines communication. Bad behaviour is similar to spam. Delete, block and continue as planned.
Bad behaviour is similar to spam. Delete, block and continue as planned. Click To Tweet
Networking.
Of course you want collaborations to go as smoothly as possible. Doing everything you can to enjoy the process. Creating an atmosphere for others to benefit in the same way you do.
Most professional liaisons run smoothly. Building solid relationships. It’s an unspoken rule. Professional integrity is knowing yourself and your business practices.
It’s impossible to remain connected with people who conduct themselves in a wayward fashion. Don’t attempt to change them or get them to see the error of their ways.
You can’t make individuals responsible for their behaviour, that’s not your job. If they have no ability to pull themselves into line, then how could you ever expect to be able to?
Being a good sport for a period of time is not weakness. It is allowing others to be who they are. They’re given every opportunity to shine and present their best side.
There’s no point being offended. You don’t know these people well enough for them to have an impact.
The bully.
Silence normally has a bully thinking they have the upper hand. When you don’t respond to their actions you’re assumed to be unaware of their behaviour. Other bullies believe you’re intimidated. Such thought processor highlight limited thinking and ignorance.
You’re owning your behaviour while the bully dances to their own tune. Often making a mockery of themselves. You can’t stop their actions. Nor do you want to invest that much time and effort into them.
Passive aggressive is bully behaviour in disguise.
A smile with intent to be under-handed? An individual comfortable with deceit. Seriously what can you do with someone who fools themselves first?
When others hold valid excuses for poor behaviour there is little you can do. They will be deaf to your words because they are blind to their motivations.
To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful. – Edward R. Murrow
What happens when you’re doing business with people who have a bad reputation? It’s sound practice to be aware of outside influences. Although basing your decision solely on what others have to say rather than your own instincts is thinking like the rest.
If you’re associated with people who have lost their credibility it may affect your bottom line.
Business is about money deals. Money deals are about networking. Networking creates connections motivated to form solid relationships. This is how capital is generated.
How you go about securing your finances and building relationships is up to you. Business practices should never be decided upon or dictated by what others do. Their style may not even work for you.
Case study – The Tiger Woods fiasco teaches us many lessons.
Tiger Woods is not only a golfing legend, but a sportsman continually on the prowl. Caught out for his philandering ways. Bringing heart ache and pain to his family.
When hookers started coming out of the woodworks, sponsors dropped him like a hot potato.
Did Woods stay within the boundaries of his contracts? Did the golfer sign an agreement stating he will keep a squeaky clean reputation? If so, then he fell outside of his terms.
What if the contract stipulated playing the best golf he could? Then regardless of the bottom line the contract was upheld.
Though negotiations are a rough game, you should never allow them to become a dirty game. Once you’ve agreed to a deal, don’t back out of it unless the other party fails to deliver as promised. Your handshake is your bond. As far as I’m concerned, a handshake is worth more than a signed contract. As an entrepreneur, a reputation for integrity is your most valuable commodity. If you try to put something over on someone, it will come back to haunt you. – Victor Kiam
From a business perspective.
- Is it wise to continue a business contract with a man who is making negative headlines?
- What is the business priority? Money, reputation or professional integrity? Some would say all three.
- Do you abandon one of your biggest money spinners because everyone else does? Or is there room to exploit his mistakes?
- It has nothing to do with whether Woods offended you or me personally.
- It’s not about whether you agree with his sexual encounters.
- It’s not about feeling his wife’s pain and humiliation.
- This is business without a heartbeat. Decisions made without emotions. Where reputation and professional integrity are at stake.
Tiger’s business connections spread wide and far. Contracts being ripped up would have highlighted he was nothing more than a dollar value. It appeared that the hand shake, a pat on the back and words of encouragement are what friendships are made of.
In his time of crisis every business association would have shown Woods their true hand. Business did not grind to halt as Woods’s life fell apart. As the truth began to unfold big business took on a crisis. Working around the clock to keep their reputation intact.
One prostitute shared her encounters with Woods. This story hit the front page of newspapers. That bought a number of dirty little secrets out of hiding. Media would have paid big bucks for this sort of information.
The working girls getting their fifteen minutes of fame. This would have increased their profiles. Free advertising. Men with nothing to lose would be rushing to get their experience with these good time girls.
Those married or with something to lose would steer clear of women who named her sexual partners. Men enjoying a party on the side value discretion. Prostitutes are paid business transactions.
Woods was discrete. Obviously there was no intention of his extra marital affairs hitting the headlines. Hurting his wife in the process. Ending their relationship.
However there’s one thing we know about lies. No matter how much we attempt to keep them at bay, they have an odd way of presenting themselves. Teaching us many lessons.
Woods fall from grace highlighted: –
- Big business wants nothing to do with you in a crisis.
- Prostitutes will take whatever they can.
- When you’re a big name, media will slaughter you for headlines.
- Woods’s abused the love and trust he had with his wife.
- Lies are lies regardless of how you hide them.
- You’re a golfing hero, if you can continue with your sporting prowess, you will get back on top.
- His actions created an emotional spark. Everyone had an opinion. The guy who dreamed of Woods’s life style. The hookers who wanted a pay day just like their colleagues. The wife angered over Tiger’s actions, grateful her husband is not like him.
His business boundaries are blurred. Woods’s job was to play professional golf. He was entertainment for those who enjoyed the game and the competition. Golfers followed the sport while relaxing and enjoying themselves socially.
Professional integrity stands for: –
- How do you want to represent yourself and your business transactions.
- Business performance is tested under scrutiny. When best practices are criticised, would you stand by your actions?
- When you can’t work with a person because of who they are, it’s not your doing.
- Never think that you have assert your boundaries on other people’s actions. If they don’t know how to behave it’s not up to you teach them.
- Individuals will show you where new boundaries are required. Professional integrity goes about cleaning up the mess and reshaping the boundary.
Professional integrity isn’t focused on the dollar value alone. If you sell your sole for cash you will soon learn that money meant far less than what you stood for.
In conclusion.
It’s not your job to teach others how to behave, that’s a different job title. As adults it’s up to us as individuals to take responsibility for how we represent ourselves. How unfortunate others missed that valuable lesson.
You can’t do anything with time wasters or bullies. You don’t even need to get better at managing them. Business relationships are only of value when all parties are working together.
It’s when you’re under the toughest of scrutiny that working boundaries become clear. Highlighting just how tight they were in the first place. Professional integrity does not require a discussion it’s all in the actions.
Hi Rachel,
Tough times are surely the test of your character. Because when the going gets rough, the tough get going! 🙂
We all face challenging times and professional problems in life, but we need to take charge and control of ourselves, face the music and overcome the adversities. It’s important to know what you need to do, and then you’ve to do it.
When it comes to rising up the corporate ladder, you need to learn to balance your professional and personal aspects of life. You’ve to give priority to your profession and play as per its demands. If your friends or colleagues find that as unacceptable, then they aren’t that understanding or well wishers to be your close friends. You’re right that you cannot take the responsibility of others, you need to move on and stick only to those who understand the dynamics and demands of the new times, position, or situation.
I believe that you need to take a long shot and overview your life. What is important is how you carry yourself in your life irrespective of what others do or think. You need to do what is important to you and not get emotional or dragged by the negativity or useless demands of others.
Gradually, with time, if you’re successful, people begin to understand and change. So, you need to give people a chance and time to change. Else, the final decision on the relationship always lies in your own hands.
Thanks for delivering this post that conveys a strong message, which should be helpful to all professionals. Have a nice week ahead, and we meet after our little spring break now 🙂
Harleena Singh recently posted…7 Health Benefits Of Music That Can Transform Your Life
Hey Harleena,
From a business perspective tough times are a test of ones professional integrity. Its a challenge but never anything that can’t be problem solved. What can’t be fixed is not a measure of ones personal ability.
The boundaries between personal and professional should be clear. Any signs of confusion will have sloppy decisions made. On a business front if you bring your emotions into it, whether it be blogging or a multi million dollar deal you are setting yourself up to fail. How we go about the professional front is up to the individual.
I agree how you carry yourself certainly is what leads. Questions such as how do you want represent yourself should be asked. What message do you want to send out? What do you stand for? If you can answer these questions you will have your professional approach well in hand. When you are known for professional integrity people will always know where to go when they require the service you provide.
Thanks for your comments always appreciate your insight. Enjoy your spring break, you certainly do deserve it.
Talk soon.
Rachel.
Hi Rachel
Love the topic you so shared.
It is difficult to handle the balance between one’s professional and personal life but it has to be done because so much is at stake if not handled properly.
When one goes up the corporate ladder, it is important to maintain best behavior and business practice. This does produce a huge challenge but it can be overcomed.
I recall Wood’s ordeal. His situation shows what happens when integrity becomes an issue. As you brilliantly shared in this post, no matter the challenges, integrity must be maintained.
Thanks for sharing. Take care
Hey Ikechi,
We will never be rid of our emotions. They are felt without choice. How we respond to them is certainly what we have control over.
That’s why I love a business perspective. I truly believe all work decisions should be made without emotion. Based on moving forward. Not personal thoughts. That’s is why I bought up the Woods’s subject. As a female I could be personally offended by him. From a professional point of view I would have removed those thoughts to work on the business side.
Look Woods messed around and there are consequences to that. Big business was interesting. They tore up contacts, distanced themselves from him. I think a whole lot more money could have been made by using what the media was exploiting.
Integrity is far more valuable than the dollars. I would lose money before I lost my reputation. Every action calculated.
It was a challenging post. A risk but I wanted to do something that really ironed out the difference between personal and professional. Thanks for your feedback.
Rachel.
Hi Rachel,
This title caught my eye because I am a great believer of Professional Integrity. It is how we handle people isn’t it?
There will always be “The Bully” around. And yes, the best way to deal with that one is silence. I do believe bullies in the corporate setting as well as the internet want to gain attention for themselves. The keep nudging us for a reaction. Why should we waste the time doing that?
The worst is the passive aggressive people. Sometimes it takes a while to find out their truth.
In business offline or online, we must choose wisely who we connect with and their integrity. We don’t want to be known as the person who hangs out with someone negative or a black hat marketer.
I’ve seen some do it and had to just ignore them until they went away.
Great topic!
-Donna
Hey Donna,
Thanks for the feedback, ‘the title caught your eye’. Professional Integrity certainly is about how we handle people, as we respect ourselves and want to represent our business and brand with accuracy.
I agree Donna, ignoring the bully is the best practice. That way you give them no time or energy. We don’t have a lot to spare so giving time to those who don’t deserve it, does not make sense.
In the past I have been hurt by the passive aggressive. So taken in by them. Now if I believe them, to find they are the aggressor down the track I continue as planned. I don’t take on someone else’s bad behaviour. I find it a shame because I would have really enjoyed them had they been true to themselves.
We are who we associate with. We want good energy around us. To continue with the work we do. Anyone who is negative can really stop the clogs in our creative juices flowing and I think we should all guard against that.
Good advice – Ignore the people with too much time up their sleeves with not enough ambition – until they go away.
Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.
Hi Rachel
Good post with lots of food for thought as always.
Can there be an excuse for moving outside of the moral and ethical norms you set for yourself?
I believe true character is the ability to be true to what you believe in. Life has its grey areas but sometimes it is not difficult to distinguish right from wrong. It is up to you to make your decision.
Your character is the foundation of your life. If you allow temptation to weaken it, there will be consequences.
You ask tough questions but in the end if you are detemined to be proud of who you are, you will be proud of the choices you make.
Enjoyed your post.
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Hey Igert,
Our boundaries will be tested from time to time. I have always found my gut instinct or the immediate feeling I have is a good indicator about the actions I will take. Both professionally and personally. But the two are very separate for me.
Business is nothing more than exciting strategy. Planning, execution and examination. I have always found preparation gets the best results as calculated risk is part of the analysis. One knows what they are walking into before they do.
Personally its a whole different ball game filled with raw emotion. Life is not black and white I agree. But it is either professional or personal.
Your right and wrong may differ to mine. The choices I make are pretty simple. Questions I ask myself, If I go down this avenue will I regret it? Will I be able to sleep at night? Will I enjoy the process. If the answer is no to any – really there is no point. Well hindsight tells me so.
I smile at temptation. I wonder what it could ever be that will make me think twice because there is not much of that around. One should never fear what life offers but consider the consequences of their actions if they are to proceed forward.
Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.
A great and informative post. Personal and professional integrity is so important! I love how you say it’s not our job to police how others behave!
Hey Cynthia,
It’s exciting and liberating when we start watching people act up and that’s all we do watch and don’t react. Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.
Great post. While it’s hard, we must concentrate on our own tasks and behavior, while ignoring those that don’t share the same goals and work ethic. I think it’s especially hard in this day and age because of the prevalence of social media. Everyone needs to know everything.
Hey Shann,
I agree Social Media certainly changed how we communicate and how we share our information. When we’re professional we certainly have boundaries that embrace difference but standards that identify those stepping outside of the way we operate.
Ignoring people who don’t share the same goals and work ethics. It still astounds me Shann that its ignore rather than just get on with it, they do their thing and you do yours. Never having to cross paths when unworkable difference has been observed. It seems when we notice that a connection is not working some just won’t leave it be. Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.
I think that as adults, it is our job to teach CHILDREN how to act and become adults, not teach other adults how to act. As professionals, we all have our own goals in mind and it is our own personal duty to ensure we get to those goals. If that means ignoring others for the sake of our own success, then so be it.
Hey Christine,
Your first sentence should be a business mantra. Bravo. One adult should never have to pull another adult into line – especially on the business front. Ignoring people who getting in the way of us achieving our goals is a must – I agree. Thanks for your comments. I am still enjoying your first sentence, which I may use at some point. Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.
Hi Rachel,
Ahhh yes, the bullies.
Your mention of this reminds me of someone I had worked with in the past.
I worked for a salon as an assistant for about a year. The receptionist at the time was this super nice girl who I and everyone else got along with just fine.
Well, a few years later, I went back to work there, this time as a stylist. The receptionist had been promoted to manager of the salon – and boy did she change.
Something happened to her. This otherwise friendly human being turned into a monster. I witnessed her scream at a client from across the salon – and told her to remove her foils and get the f*ck out. It was quite disturbing.
She turned on me as well one day and yelled at me in front of another client.
Professional integrity, in my opinion, only happens when we’re at peace within ourselves. I’d love to say it’s something you learn…but I really think it’s something you either are – or aren’t.
Everything we do is an extension of what lives inside.
It is all about the money on many occasions, but sometimes, it’s that misunderstood human ego in dire need of validation that gets the better of people – even when the paycheck isn’t the main motivator.
Great topic Rachel 🙂
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Hey Dana,
Your experience at the hair salon, reminds we of that quote that goes something like – if you want to know a person give them power. She really did represent herself in a bad light. In one instance everyone in the workplace would have distrusted her. We all have thought about doing that sort of thing but controlled ourselves. I know you have felt that way because I have felt that way. To be human. The big difference is in the control.
I agree that professional integrity happens when we are at peace however I have meet many powerful players who have a work ethos that is impressive however they are far from at peace. Yet they do like themselves. Old school attitudes would have seen your hair dresser friend turned monster boss as somewhat a norm. Back in the 80’s and 90’s it was acceptable to men to lose it. It may not be now and trends certainly have changed. Thank goodness. But authoritarian behaviour was scary, unapproachable and unpredictable.
Money at that the core of business that’s a fact. How we go about business relationships certainly shows what we think of ourselves. Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.
Hi Rachel
Great post!
Loved the design and theme of your blog!
Coming to the post….
We must concentrate on our work and ignore what others are doing – but its so much difficult, right? The professional ambiance does not let us work like this.
Secondly it is very important to maintain a balance between professional and personal life as neither can be ignored. Once we are high up on the ladder of corporate world, we need to maintain professional integrity.
Thanks for sharing!
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Wow Rachel – I just loved this article. I think almost everyone can relate to this and connect with people who they have worked with, right along with management being some of the bullies in some of the places. Sad, isn’t it?
Anyways, you really blew it out of the ball park on this one doll. I loved how you shared to focus on your behavior and let the bullies do their behavior and tread on themselves. Others will see them for what they are.
It’s sad how these types of behavior sometimes create poor morale in the work place if management doesn’t take control of it.
I think this post is going to be so helpful to a massive amount of people across the world. Great post.
Take care and have a great upcoming weekend.
Irish
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Hey Irish,
I could not agree more Irish, bad behaviour does create poor morale and is dangerous because it can be contagious. People follow without thinking. That’s why setting high standards in the work place and in small business arena’s should be policed as a major priority.
Its a pity when a manager has to discuss such behaviour, but they are ineffective to their team if they don’t. Unprofessional behaviour has far reaching impacts on business, so it really needs to be nipped in the bud early. Steering the business in a fashion that embraces all rather than erases individuality. And that’s what is at risk when a work place that has bullying behaviour.
We all have to own our behaviour. We would find that most bullies won’t change unless they have to take responsibility for their actions.
Once again, thanks for your wonderful comments.
Rachel.
What an interesting topic for a blog post, Rachel!
I like the Tiger Woods example.
It reminds me, as well, of businesses canceling plans to operate in states like North Carolina and Indiana after they passed bills that many found discriminatory and unethical.
I think, given that our actions and thoughts are now so easily spread online and across the world, that the line between personal and professional is blurrier than ever.
Perhaps there was a time in history in which we could more easily lack in character or integrity, and continue to do business as usual.
But not much remains a secret these days.
Who we are — as individuals, brands, and corporations — is on display for the world to see and judge.
It’s important, now more than ever, that we make sure our interactions are above reproach. There’s a lot at stake.
Best,
Brent
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Hey Brent,
The Woods fiasco really brings home what business is about. How heartless it can be. Although I have always felt comfort with professional standards. So many policy to ensure sexual harassment, racism, work place practices and the rest are kept to standard. A safety nets. They don’t apply on the internet.
I can’t comment on what went on in North Carolina or Indiana – but as soon as unethical comes into the standards of business practice, if we don’t walk/run away we lose ourselves. That should be not negotiable.
Initially I struggled with the internet and lack of privacy. But you know what Brent, when there is nothing to hide and one practices high standards – its nothing more than exciting.
I am regularly seeing words on the net that are shocking or questionable and wonder if people have given what they have done any thought. The internet is like signing a contract every time we press publish. We’re held to it. In fact one could say a contract is easier uphold and generally has an end date.
Above reproach – owning our every word. If criticism was to come our way – backing ourselves with what we have said. That should not be challenging – that professionalism.
Thanks for your comments.
Rachel.