The word Integrity keeps coming up. I have been wondering if I really understand what I mean by it and the experiences of the last few months at my company have given me some strong opinions on the subject.
Recently I said to a friend "I think integrity is about behaving in a way that is consistent with what you really believe in, and being prepared to stand up for what is right, even if it is not what is best or you personally."
As soon as the announcement of the re-location of 234 roles came, it was clear to me that I should stand up for my colleagues and friends in the company. I was already in the Works Council, and had intended to leave at end October due to some over-committing of my time. There were still a few small things to finalise in November, and so I was continuing when the announcement came on November 5th.
If I think back to that time 10 weeks ago, I wonder what it was that triggered me to remain a full member through this difficult process. The move itself is somehow understandable - but the reasons that were given for deciding on London just didn't seem to make any sense. I was reminded of being at school, and of a time when the teachers told the kids something that they knew was not true, and they knew that WE knew it was not true - but they told us anyway. Instinctively, I felt something similar on 6th November when all staff were informed of the four big reasons for the location. The reasons were delivered with such a lack of conviction that people were left completely doubting whether they had been told the truth.
My colleagues in the Works Council are full of integrity - they have stood up for a set of beliefs on behalf of the 100's of the people in the building. They believed the employees had a right to know more about the real reasons for the move to London, and that they should investigate whether the decision was being made for Business reasons. As a team, we focused on business first - is it really the right thing for our company to move to UK? Is there no alternative? What about moving the UK office to Amsterdam? All of this has been analysed in detail and resulted in an impressive business case and documentation around the subject which has made the Council and the employees proud.
As a dictionary definition, Integrity comes from the Greek words 'integritas' and 'integra' meaning whole. It enters into any aspect of one's life. It's a belief system without faltering no matter how dangerous, how unpopular the person makes themselves to others. It includes: sincerity, keeping one's word and agreements, honesty, truthfulness, ethics, fairness and justice and never faltering for what one believes in. A quote regarding integrity is 'It is better to have an enemy who keeps his word, than a friend who does not.'
I conclude it is like a permanent road-sign, telling you what kind of decisions to make. One of my key values is people, and this recent task has been all about supporting the people in the company. Another is honesty, and I wanted the truth to be clear. And another is fairness, and I wanted to contribute to a fair outcome for all my friends & colleagues in the building. These have been the guiding principles for me over these last months, and I am so proud to have worked in such a team of people in the Works Council, who virtually define the meaning of Integrity.
Recently I said to a friend "I think integrity is about behaving in a way that is consistent with what you really believe in, and being prepared to stand up for what is right, even if it is not what is best or you personally."
As soon as the announcement of the re-location of 234 roles came, it was clear to me that I should stand up for my colleagues and friends in the company. I was already in the Works Council, and had intended to leave at end October due to some over-committing of my time. There were still a few small things to finalise in November, and so I was continuing when the announcement came on November 5th.
If I think back to that time 10 weeks ago, I wonder what it was that triggered me to remain a full member through this difficult process. The move itself is somehow understandable - but the reasons that were given for deciding on London just didn't seem to make any sense. I was reminded of being at school, and of a time when the teachers told the kids something that they knew was not true, and they knew that WE knew it was not true - but they told us anyway. Instinctively, I felt something similar on 6th November when all staff were informed of the four big reasons for the location. The reasons were delivered with such a lack of conviction that people were left completely doubting whether they had been told the truth.
My colleagues in the Works Council are full of integrity - they have stood up for a set of beliefs on behalf of the 100's of the people in the building. They believed the employees had a right to know more about the real reasons for the move to London, and that they should investigate whether the decision was being made for Business reasons. As a team, we focused on business first - is it really the right thing for our company to move to UK? Is there no alternative? What about moving the UK office to Amsterdam? All of this has been analysed in detail and resulted in an impressive business case and documentation around the subject which has made the Council and the employees proud.
As a dictionary definition, Integrity comes from the Greek words 'integritas' and 'integra' meaning whole. It enters into any aspect of one's life. It's a belief system without faltering no matter how dangerous, how unpopular the person makes themselves to others. It includes: sincerity, keeping one's word and agreements, honesty, truthfulness, ethics, fairness and justice and never faltering for what one believes in. A quote regarding integrity is 'It is better to have an enemy who keeps his word, than a friend who does not.'
I conclude it is like a permanent road-sign, telling you what kind of decisions to make. One of my key values is people, and this recent task has been all about supporting the people in the company. Another is honesty, and I wanted the truth to be clear. And another is fairness, and I wanted to contribute to a fair outcome for all my friends & colleagues in the building. These have been the guiding principles for me over these last months, and I am so proud to have worked in such a team of people in the Works Council, who virtually define the meaning of Integrity.
