Being Point

Tag: honesty

  • Effective Collaboration Is Critical To Moving Your Vision Forward

    Who do you think with in meaningful and high level ways? What is the nature of that relationship(s)? Are you and they able to be completely and constructively honest as you consider mutual opportunities, issues and problems?

    We can never directly see our own faces nor the backs of our bodies. Each of us has literal blind spots built into our experience of being human. Often, the best way that we have to reality-check ourselves is to be reflected in a literal mirror for physical reflection and / or a “figurative” mirror in the form of another person for feedback about our choices.

    Last week, we discussed trusting. This week, trusting expands into collaboration because trust is an essential foundation for effective collaboration.

    Do you cultivate collaboration? How critical do you consider collaboration in moving your vision forward? What are your conditions for effective collaboration? Are you a good collaborator for others?

  • Integrity Is Not Conditional

    We live in a culture where many people have cheated because they can get away with it. Taking unfair advantage of a situation is obviously a violation of integrity. Doing something dishonest just because you can is wrong.

    Writer John D. MacDonald said:

    “Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn’t blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your image of yourself; and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will.”

    How would you assess your own integrity? Has your integrity ever been conditional? Can you be counted on to do what you say – and to do for yourself and others what you promise? Are you a person of integrity?

  • Without Integrity, We Can Feel As Though We Cease To Exist

    It’s been said that without integrity, we don’t exist. Why? Because for one to pretend to be true when one isn’t true simply invalidates * being * itself.

    Dishonesty exists for one primary purpose: to mislead. To mislead others – but, ultimately, to mislead oneself. If all we have is our word, then to utter false words is to, in effect, cease to exist.

    Yet, no one of us is perfect. All humans, by definition, are flawed vessels. So how do we reconcile our imperfection with our hunger for integrity?

    How do you feel when someone lies to you? How do you feel when you know that someone is not operating from integrity – especially if they are trying to imply or assure you that they are? What are the implications for the health of that relationship? How can we, as humans, do better?