Redefining Honesty?...honestly
More from the Views from the Business Front Line Series: 15/1/03
By: Paul Di Carlo
I have been taking some time recently to review the past year. I find that distance and time often provides insight into things we miss in the heat of various experiences, particularly the more challenging ones.
As I looked over the year I was drawn more and more to realise that one of the recurring themes was pondering the meaning of integrity and, in particular, the value of honesty. Or perhaps I should say the growing realisation that the working definition of honesty as a behaviour seems to be being seriously stretched and that integrity is suffering as a result.
While the headlines have been drawing attention to this undue stretching in organisations such as Enron, Anderson and others, I am more interested in a number of experiences I've had on the ground, at the every day level. Over the year, I have encountered circumstances that have left me wondering what's really been going on.
I've been in meetings listening to senior managers making statements about intent that I knew they had no intention of fulfilling - and who when challenged would say they were just being politically realistic. From senior managers who assure staff that they are 'fully behind' some venture or exercise - while really meaning "I'd like to do it but I intend to spend the time, resources and money elsewhere", to managers that take part in endorsing some programme but then refuse to implement their part in it or those that state that they are 'totally committed to the success of the venture' and then take direct actions that undermine the objectives involved; never mind those who say they will do things and then never take action or compromise at every challenge until the changes involved are diluted away. Or what about those leaders who espouse the leadership role and message (and rewards), who make rally calls about the need for leadership and action but then seek total consensus at every step along the way, ensuring that anyone can stifle any change being promoted.
More insidious are those who volunteer or insist on being fully involved in the development of some new initiative, are then active participants in all discussions and decision-making exercises but who at the last moment, after the resources and funds are committed (or even spent), decide that they'll withhold their support and funding as 'they didn't really understand or agree to what was being done and we shouldn't have taken their silence as agreement'.
Similarly, I have seen staff in a number of companies become completely disillusioned with managers who are 'economical' with the truth or who play linguistic tricks to demonstrate they did not really make the promises that they said they did, to avoid some commitment that now is difficult to fulfil or is now politically not expedient. Dilbert rules!
What's going on?
On the face of it, honesty and what it means to be honest seems to be taking a pounding. I often have managers and staff telling me "I never believe what they tell me", as it "changes so much from day to day" or that "the only thing I believe is what I see paid into my account at the end of the month by the company". Cynicism seems to be rife and they (whoever they are!) are viewed with distrust. Various other behaviours also seem to be contributing to this, for example, staff are asked to make cost savings but senior managers (they?) are then seen to publicly indulge in excesses.
Now you could take the view that nothing has changed, it's just human nature after all, dishonesty is as old as man itself and people are just like that, 'you need to get it in writing', its just the way that companies work; but I think that we need to take stock and make a judgement as to whether that's where we want to end up in the workplace and in our dealings with one another. What price will we pay for accepting this behaviour? And what do managers who do these things think they are doing?
The view from the other side...
Most senior mangers I talk to focus on leadership (and the lack of it), the need for a clear vision and the need for staff to have a willingness to take risks and make things happen. They bemoan cultures that make it difficult to get things done, the 'permafrost' of middle management, the way in which change initiatives get bogged down and grind to a halt. They just don't understand why people won't move out of their existing ways of working and well-defined working practices and help the company move forward. I often get asked 'why is it so difficult to get things to really change?'
When challenged on the 'appropriateness' of many of the decisions made and the commitments made and then broken, it's always blamed on 'them'; the need to get things done, the need to take action - even if it's on a 'ready, fire, aim' basis, even though there are many 'friendly fire' casualties as a result. My personal favourite, when in a cynical mood, is 'we're paid to get results'. Hmmm, I believe that few shareholders would pay for the results of these behaviours.
The bottom line...
The bottom line is simple, most of us learned at a relatively young age what it means to be honest. Most of us know in our hearts and guts when we are being fully truthful. We know when we are being silent and should speak up or when we are being economical with what we are saying to avoid conflict or disapproval.
Now I'm not concerned here about the everyday omissions when asked, for example, if you like someone's new coat or haircut. No, what I'm talking about here is about those things that really matter, that we get paid to do, the responsibilities that we are paid to discharge and, as a result, should speak up about when they are being flouted by others.
Working relationships rely on all parties actively demonstrating mutually expected levels of honesty and the commitments that this can represent. For without honesty, there is no integrity. People cannot be taken at their word. And without integrity, there is no trust. Trust is the basis for working together and is one of the foundations of our society. The current ills of the stock market - due to investor distrust - and the impact this has on all of us, reflect the importance of this for us all. We may pay a heavy price in the coming year as a result of those who turned a blind eye when they should have stood up and been counted.
So whether manager or staff, the next time you feel the need to gloss over some issue, to infer some reward you have no intention of providing, when you offer support that you have no intention of providing, or saying one thing while intending to do another; reflect on whether its worth the price you might be asked to pay, that you are deemed 'untrustworthy', that your word is meaningless and you are unemployable as a result. Its just a thought...
'What you are doing speaks so loud, I can't hear what you say'
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Readers Comments/Feedback
Posted on: 18th January 2003
Sender: Terry C
Paul, after nearly 25 years in corporate and agency marketing I sadly have to concur with everything you have said. I have witnessed, and suffered the results of, many of the same instances you highlights.
There are still honest people out there, but the rewards for being honest are that you are seen as 'a round peg', 'have the wrong priorities', are deemed selfish, unrealistic, unromantic. And this comes not only from management but colleagues too.
My CV still lists 'integrity' as one of my own personal attributes but I sometimes wonder what message I'm giving by including it. I am sure that some would see it as an accusation, others with cynicism, and some, sadly, would not even know what the word meant.
Your article was a breath of fresh air. At least some of the questions that have haunted me have now been aired. I'll be interested to see how many responses and their nature
Many thanks.
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Posted on: 18th March 2004
Sender: Christopher Hailey
Very good article. Everyone in a leadership position should practice what they preach and be honest with their intentions, thoughts and ideas. Integrity is doing the right thing when there is no one around to see you. I cannot see what you are thinking, so are you honest not only with me, but also with yourself. We should all practice this concept not just in the work place, but in our everyday living.
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Posted on: 19th March 2004
Sender: Anne McIntosh
With the Enron, Imclone, and Martha Stewart fiascos at hand, it has been brought to light how widespread (and accepted) dishonesty is-- in the name of making a buck.
We all need to be assigned to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and then be told to do what George Bailey did-- stick by one's principles and let everything else take care of itself.
We have a choice: we can be a part of the solution or the problem. I've chosen to be a part of the solution.
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