Where’s your line?

Tony Randall and Michael Mindlin, in Which Reminds Me, tell a story about a Hollywood agent’s son who asked his dad what the word “integrity” meant. “Let me give you an example, son. Let’s say Kirk Douglas sent me a check for the agency’s commission on the new picture we got for him. And let’s say a few days later his business manager sends me another check in error for the same commission. Integrity is whether or not I tell my partner.”

Integrity is a hot presidential issue this year with proponents from both parties pointing to the lack of character of Bush and Kerry in some aspects of their military service. We expect our leaders to be honest and serve in a manner that demonstrates high character and virtue. Integrity is usually used synonymously with honesty, honor, reliability, etc.; however, it is defined by more than just any one term. True integrity means a total congruence between who we are and what we do. A person with integrity lives in congruence with their values that are expressed and implied to others.

A client recently asked an interesting question that got me thinking. We were discussing the behavior of individuals whose actions appeared questionable in a business deal, and he asked: “Where’s your line?”

Not knowing exactly what he meant, I asked him to explain. He said that long ago he had determined the exact amount of money that it would take to get him to abandon his character. Up to a certain amount he would be true to his values, but after that amount he would be willing to sell his soul to the devil—so to speak.

We can respect a person who has determined where to draw the line. What bothered me is that I could not tell him where the line was for me. I am not naïve enough to believe that I don’t have a line. There have been situations where someone drew the line and I wouldn’t step over it, but I guess I have not been in a situation that has tested how far that line would go before I step over it.

A. H. Almaas stated: “To contact the deeper truth of who we are, we must engage in some activity or practice that questions what we assume to be true about ourselves.” The true test of your character is often revealed in what you do when you think no one else is around or will know what you have done. For some, that line may be a $.50 candy bar. It could be a $10 bill that you found and did not bother to find out who it belonged to. The amount that it will take to go against what you know to be the right thing is at the soul of this point. How much would you sell your soul for?

If you are in a leadership position, and have influence or control over the lives of others, it is vital that your actions are congruent with what you say and feel. Those actions must have integrity with your vision and what you expect others to do. Any question in your integrity will erode the bond of trust that holds together any relationship.

Trust grows when you keep your promises and follow through on your commitments. Herb Kelleher, the former CEO of Southwest Airlines, was known as a person of integrity because he could be trusted to do what he said he would do—even if it meant a loss to his company. Kelleher also expected his employees to have integrity when dealing with others. He said, “If one of our employees commits Southwest Airlines to doing something, we stand behind that commitment—even if it’s a bad business decision.”

Bob Montgomery, then Southwest’s manager of properties, made a verbal commitment on behalf of the company to the City of Austin, Texas, to fund some preliminary design work for a new airport. From Southwest’s viewpoint the new airport was a mistake and would cost the company $400,000. When Herb Kelleher heard about the deal, he asked if the deal had been signed. The answer was “no,” but he was also told that Montgomery had told the Austin officials that Southwest would do it. To that Keller responded, “If Bob represented that we would sign it, then that’s what we’re going to do.”

How much is your character worth? At what point would you abandon your values, be disloyal to a friend, or do whatever it took to make a sale? These are hard questions to answer that may very well define where that line is.

Sterling Sill said that we should be aware of the fact that our “greatest sin is to be conscious of none.” Our greatest error may be in saying that we have no line. If we can’t define what that line is, it may well destroy the virtues and opportunities we have spent a lifetime to build.

(Rik is a business instructor at NMC and Janel is the owner of Positively Outrageous Results. They have consulted with over 400 businesses in 40 different industries. For better business results go to BizResults.biz to read previous articles.)