The Basement
No one talks about the basement.
Have you ever been driving around and admiring homes? We do that a lot as a family. It's fun and a lovely way to fuel dreams. We talk about interesting features and characteristics. It's especially fun this time of year as people begin to decorate their homes for the Christmas season.
But do you know one thing that we have never pointed out or discussed? The basement.
I once worked for a company that talked incessantly about its core values. One in particular... integrity. At first, this was incredibly attractive. As a COO, the company's core values are something I take seriously and work to incorporate wherever it makes sense as I lead the people and operations. Core values serve as a compass. When you follow them, it eliminates a lot of ambiguity in decision-making.
This company, though, wasn't doing that. As a matter of fact, the more they talked loudly about integrity, the less and less I saw it practiced. I eventually had to leave that company because of something that was a stark contrast to the screaming integrity echoing from the mountaintops... one of the founders committed fraud. Thankfully, God had me put in my notice the day before this became public and before I learned about it, so I was able to clearly distance myself from that situation. He is a kind and protective Father.
This whole situation really made me stop and evaluate this situation. What does it mean to have integrity in business? What does it mean to talk about integrity in business? What does it mean to showboat integrity in business?
God gave me the imagery of a home. You see, as a Steward Leader, integrity is the foundation. You will not see someone without much integrity steward well. Stewardship is careful and responsible management of something that has been entrusted to you. There must be a trust relationship in order to truly be stewarding, and someone isn't going to trust you if you don't exhibit integrity.
Notice I didn't say talk about integrity. I didn't say wear a t-shirt that carries a witty ditty about integrity. I didn't say sharing quotes about integrity on social media. Exhibit integrity. Displaying the evidence.
Back to the basement... when I'm driving along and admiring the architecture, style, and beauty, I am not looking at or even thinking about the basement. The foundation doesn't need to be pointed out. If there was a problem with the foundation, the house would crumble, and there would be little left to admire.
Integrity is like the basement of a home. It isn't the most beautiful or interesting part of a person, but it's what all the rest is built on. It's clear when integrity is missing... the fruit proves it. It's also clear when integrity is the guiding light. You may not be able to call out what it is, but there are clues of integrity staring you in the face if you take the time to find them.
I've learned the hard way to steer clear of those loud "integrity" cheerleaders and focus more on working for and with people who naturally exhibit the fruit of integrity.
What fruits do you look for that point to integrity?
