Tomorrow I will be attending an event where I will be introduced to a leadership program entitled Character First. The program purports to teach companies, government organizations, non-profits, and even families how to introduce a "culture of integrity" to transform the decision making process. Really!
I should probably wait until I've learned more about the program before commenting or making judgment regarding the content, however, one thing has me perplexed. It's not that I don't wholeheartedly agree with trying to accomplish this feat. In fact I think introducing the "culture of integrity" is a wonderful undertaking, and every business should operate with absolute integrity.
No, what has me perplexed is that any company, government organization, non-profit, or family should need to be taught such a basic tenet of life.
Shouldn't integrity already be at the very heart and soul of every person, company, or family? Shouldn't every decision we make already be based on whether or not it's morally and ethically correct? And finally, if a person is not already living a life that's based on honesty, integrity, and trust can these traits be taught? Most of us were introduced to these concepts at a very early age, and somewhere along the way made a conscious decision to either adopt them as our core values.....or not!
Successful businesses are built on relationships, and you cannot have strong relationships with your employees, your customers, your suppliers, or yes, even those who regulate your industry if they cannot have complete confidence that your word is as good as gold. In other words, that you are a person of integrity, and your business operates in a manner that is beyond reproach.
It disturbs me greatly that in today's business environment we need to actually have a program teaching values that all of us should have acquired in kindergarten.....but as always, what do I know?
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