I have had some time to reflect on the previously posted Wall Street Journal (WSJ) articles on why women mistreat each other in the work place. If you missed the previous blog with the articles, please see the links at the end of this blog. When I think about playing “the game” in the workplace and succeeding on the playing field, one word really sticks in my mind and that is integrity. I really thought about what were some of the leadership traits that I most admire and while I respect leaders who have great vision and accomplishments, charisma, empathy, and respect for others, I think integrity is one of the most important attributes one can have.
Integrity determines how we play the game of life as well as how we lead in life. If we don't possess a strong sense of what is ethical, then we will allow ourselves to cheat and sham our way to the top. The news headlines are filled with examples of employees and executives who have compromised and ended up in jail.
My first job was at AT&T and at AT&T, integrity among other things, such as respect for the individual, was a core value. In fact, in the government division where I started my career, each year we went through Corporate Professional Integrity Program training. At the end of the yearly sessions, we signed a statement signifying that we understood the tenets of the program and agreed to adhere to the tenets of the program. One of the key phases that I will always remember from the training was, “corporations don’t go to jail, people do.” When making a business decision, we were told to think about how we would feel if the decision and consequences were reported on the front page of the Washington Post. That yearly training reinforced a strong sense of ethics in me that has served me well. I am really thankful to that company for reinforcing in me a strong commitment to ethics and professional integrity
One of the reasons I believe women fail to truly respect and value one another is we are often seeking acceptance from people who require us to be cut throat, disingenuous, sabotage others, and cut others down to be in the “in crowd”. Those women must be respectfully challenged on their behavior. Competitive behavior that emphasizes and celebrates winning at any cost must be discouraged. Just as it is important to follow the rules in sports competition, it is important to embrace sound ethical standards as one seeks to lead in the workplace and in life. It is important how we play the game because true champions win without cheating!
The godly walk with integrity... Proverb 20:7a New Living Translation Bible (http://www.biblegateway.com/)
Wall Street Journal Articles:
Preoccupations: A Sisterhood of Workplace Infighting by Peggy Klaus
The Juggle: When Women Derail Other Women in the Office by Rachel Emma Silverman
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