Ep 247 | Integrity - The NDO Core Value Word #2

Thank you for joining me today. It's Brian Gubernick, and welcome to the No Days Off podcast. We believe that every single day brings a new opportunity to get better. Today we are going to cover core value word number 2 in our core value word series around these core values, these things that guide us, that, that we base our decisions around, that are really our principles, what we stand for. The first word I gave you not too long ago was grit. However, today's word is a little bit different in that today's word, one of my favorite words because it encompasses so many other core values, That word is integrity. That word is integrity. What is integrity? Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It's adhering to a code of ethics. It involves consistency, consistency in your values, consistency in your principles, consistency in your actions. Someone that has high integrity, is usually somebody that's honorable, someone that's reliable, someone that's very trustworthy. It's just a commitment. It's a commitment to high standards, moral and ethical standards, even when faced with challenges or temptations to deviate from them. When I think around integrity, I think about doing what it is you say you're going to do, no matter what. Doing what you say you're going to do, no matter what. Now, I was hanging with a— hanging out with a guy today, a guy who has built or had had a really successful business career, had retired at the age of 50. He's 70 now. And, and I asked him, you know, as we were spending some time, we were talking about kids, right? He's raised a couple kids that are now very successful in their own right. And I said to him, I said, hey, what was the most important thing for you that you saw out of your kids? And he said to me, you know, I always wanted them to work hard. You know, I wanted them to be good kids, to be loving, to be caring. But he said, the absolute most important thing for me, the most important thing that I saw out of my kids that I would, that I refuse to compromise on they had to act with integrity. And it just really kind of hit me pretty hard. Here I am, I've got 2 kids, right? 13 and 11. You've heard all about them here at No Days Off. And like most of you that have kids or younger people in your, in your world, you know, your job or what you'd like to do is influence and lead them to the best of your ability and do so or direct them in the right direction, right? Like influence them in the right direction. And so as he shared this with me, I started kind of running through in my head this word integrity that I'd already, you know, I'm always thinking about, but I kind of looked at it from a different perspective. And I said, man, how do I, how do I make sure that my kids act with integrity? What can I be doing to make sure that my kids behave in the way that this, this guy was sharing with me? So I had to do a deep dive around integrity and I thought I had to share it with you because whether you're looking to, you know, be a bit more honorable yourself or act with integrity more frequently, or you're looking to coach and train and influence others, I think, I think what I'm about to run through, these characteristics are things that we could all be thinking around. Number 1, those with integrity, they value other people's time. They value their own time, So they also have that, you know, they also value the time of other people. They know that other people have lots of, lots of places to be. And, and they respect that. If you spend time with them, it's likely that they're going to thank you for that as well. Right? Those with integrity will thank you for that as well. So they value other people's time. Number 2, those with integrity, they give credit where it's due. They don't take credit for things they didn't do. They always credit those who deserve it. So if you help someone with integrity with a project, he or she is likely the one to mention your name so you can take credit for your work. That's what those with integrity do. Next, those that are, those that have integrity, they're authentic. They are, they are their truest forms. You will not catch them being fake. You will not catch them in a lie. Someone operating with high integrity is that— is their true self. Along those lines, those with integrity are always honest. They're just honest people. They do not feel a need to lie ever, right? They're just married and committed to telling the truth. There's no white lies, anything like that. Sometimes what they deliver to you If you're on the other end of, you know, of something coming from an individual with integrity, it may be hard to hear, but it's because they're not going to sugarcoat it because they're always going to tell you the truth. They're not going to dance. Somebody with integrity never takes advantage of others. They are not the kind of people who would take advantage of someone else. They help build people up. They help get them to where they need to be. Taking some, you know, taking too much from someone else will never be an issue with someone who has a lot of integrity. Those with integrity, they give most people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe, maybe too much so, if there's such a thing. They try to see the good in everyone. I think this is maybe because they feel like maybe there are more people in this world that also have integrity. Maybe they're just, you know, again, they're giving the benefit of the doubt. But if you try to take advantage of them, there's a good chance they'll get rid of you because they're not going to work with someone who lacks integrity. Next thing that comes to mind for me, when I think around someone with integrity, they're always the first to apologize. If they've done something wrong, they're going to come to you and they're going to apologize. That's just how they act. It's just how they are. They own up to their mistakes and they aim to make things right. Those with integrity tend to be humble. They, you know, they probably know their own worth, but they're humble about it. They, they are very important and they do so much good, but they actually don't even see it oftentimes. Sometimes they've got to be reminded of how great they are or the work that they've done. Because they're just so humble. Along those lines though, those that have high integrity, they do good whenever they can, whether or not someone's watching. They're just always helping people. They love to know that they improve someone's life. And lastly, those that have integrity, they're almost always kind to those who need it. They give kindness because kindness can go a long way. So when someone needs a little, little pick-me-up, let's say those with integrity are usually the ones that come through. They're the ones that brighten up someone's day. So when you think around integrity, this core value word, right? Like I said, I think it encompasses so many other values like honesty and kindness, right? And just so many other, like belief in others. I mean, there's just so many things that roll up under integrity. Someone with high integrity is someone to be around. So the focusing question for you today, core value word number 2, integrity. Are you someone that acts with integrity? Do you act with integrity all the time? Would you be described as someone that has high integrity? Do you act with integrity maybe some of the time and there's opportunity to maybe develop a bit. I'll tell you, for me personally, and I'm just being a bit vulnerable here, I'd like to think, I mean, I believe that I, that I have high integrity, but as I roll through that list, there are definitely areas in which I've fallen short. And if I believe in that list, I just provided the characteristics of people that have true integrity, some work I have to do myself. So this is kind of a wake-up call riding in this car. You know, this individual I was riding with and I was talking to, and he was sharing, sharing with me how important integrity is. And then I got to thinking about my kids and how I want them to develop integrity. I have to look at the mirror first and make sure that I'm modeling this behavior, that I'm acting with integrity, kind of put on that mask before I put on the mask of others, right? How can I coach or, or lead or ask others to act with integrity if I'm not doing the same at a high level. So I have a little bit of work to do. My guess is we all have a little bit of work to do because acting with integrity is a core value that we probably all would love to incorporate a bit more into our worlds. That's all I have for you today, for you today, the No Days Off Podcast. Thank you so much for listening. And remember, every single day brings a new opportunity to get better. So let's get after it.