Integrity Rides a Forklift
Integrity. This is a word that we’ve all heard. We see it in mottos. We try to embody it. We expect it in others, and are pleased when it’s present. We know about it. Integrity is something that’s all around us, yet simultaneously absent.
When you think of workers who show integrity, UPS dock workers may be the furthest thing from your mind. This reputation is partly their own fault; workers have been caught and convicted many times for theft, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down. Given a position of trust, too many take advantage of the trust put in them for an easy pay day. This problem isn’t unique to UPS. Nor is it only found with lower-level employees. Lack of integrity has brought down companies. But what is integrity? Why is it important? Why do people seem to lack it?
And what about my own integrity?
What is integrity anyway?
Integrity, to borrow C. S. Lewis’s definition, is “doing the right thing when nobody is looking.” Start by knowing the right thing. For example, don’t steal. Then, do the right thing when you’re alone. This last part is critical. After all, when you’re alone, nobody but you knows whether you did the right thing.
So why is integrity so important?
People with high integrity are trustworthy individuals. They don’t steal from the company. They don’t exaggerate to generate sales or win customers. They’ll let the boss know if there’s something wrong with the operations, and how long it’ll take to fix.
This extends to the customer as well. A company known for its integrity will win repeat customers. Through word of mouth, new customers will come. Knowing that a business is honest will create better relations with other firms in the supply chain. Integrity is nothing less than one of the best business practices an individual and a company can make.
So why do so few people display integrity?
This leads to the crux of the issue: despite the fact that integrity is an excellent business practice, relatively few people practice it. Why don’t they? Well, there are several reasons why, each offering a potential explanation; perhaps it’s any one of these factors, or some combination.
The first reason is lack of empathy. Without empathy, a person is less likely to think of how their actions will hurt others. Without that thought process, they’re less likely to display integrity.
A second reason is that the individual, for a variety of reasons, didn’t form a proper moral code. Sometimes people have poor experiences in their childhood, or they struggle to think positively.
A third reason is a desire for petty revenge. Some do it to hurt workplace rivals. It can also be done to hurt another company. Telling a few “white lies” can attract customers from a competitor, or drive them away from the competition.
So what about me?
Working in an environment where integrity feels optional is challenging. Even if you don’t personally steal, there’s always the pressure to “look the other way” and then lie when inspections are conducted.
While I faced those pressures initially, I made it clear from the outset that I had no interest in participating or lying to the company. Rather than pressure me, any would-be thieves made it a policy to give me a wide berth; at least, I never noticed any suspicious activities near me.
Beyond that, I made integrity a critical part of my work. When I was loading and unloading trailers, every so often we would get trailers containing high-value freight: medicine, guns, electronics, and even motorcycles. The part that took the most time wasn’t unloading, but finding a supervisor to sign your paperwork. By proving my integrity, I cut down the time needed to finish the job, thus allowing me to unload more trailers in a given night. This enabled the job to get done faster and made me more valuable to the supervisors.
Integrity is the best policy
Some people say honesty is the best policy, and they’re not entirely wrong. But they’re not entirely right, either- honesty is a good policy, but integrity- holding to your word, being reliable, and yes, being honest- is what drives good business forward. Integrity gives that subtle edge in the market, and yields returns beyond what you can imagine.