At Work
One thing I know right now about the world of work is this: it’s stressful.
No matter who you are or what you’re doing, I’m sure you can relate. There are certainly signs of hope in the economy, but reality is, not one of us is standing on completely solid ground.
And it’s hard in the face of uncertainty, change, and more uncertainty to focus anyway and keep pressing on, every day. Day in, day out.
But more and more, integrity at work boils down to just that. To keep pressing on. In the midst of everything. Anything.
Because change is nothing new.
Uncertainty is a promise we accept at the dawn of every day. It’s a bargain we strike each minute. No one ever said that was anything, fair or unfair.
It just is.
In a Social World
Sometimes, I think about this world I’m a part of. Not the great, blue planet we inhabit, though I think about that too, but this world. This one, right here, where I’m running like so many threads through so many others, a big, important tapestry of energy, ideas, passion. This vibrant, insightful community of thinkers and doers and learners and mentors and peers. Sometimes, because it’s easier to explain it this way, I call this “social media.”
Whatever we call it, I love this place, because of what it teaches me about things that are important to me. Work. Life. Leadership. Innovation. Collaboration. Integrity. Creativity. Dreams.
I love the ability to communicate and connect with every reader, Twitter friend, and connection I have in real life. I love how the lines of my thoughts and relationships blur against those of others. I love the challenge of new ideas, and the race to understand them, share them, build on them, put them into action and set them out into the world, a working, living thing.
I think about integrity and what that means in this space, too. About things like how important it is to be the true version of yourself everywhere, whether Google reads it or not.
Because integrity is one small, solid little word. But unpacking it is hard. Sure, what you do when no one’s looking is really important. But what you do when people are looking matters, too.
In an Evolving Reality
Here is something else I know about work right now. For me, at least, and maybe for you, the lines are blurring. Like it or not, work is no longer one, solid, concrete concept across the board. That space between work and life? Between personal and professional? Between my time and theirs? Between who I am and what I do?
It’s changing.
The most effective professionals have already accepted this as fact and are figuring out how to lead boldly into this new reality, where a business contact may also see the photos from your weekend (even if all you did was try out a new recipe).
Which is why integrity, today, matters everywhere, more than ever before.
In Every Moment, Every Day
This is not as daunting as it may seem.
Really, it’s a gift, if you choose to see it that way, of focus.
What should you post, omit, disclose? What should you say? What should you do?
Your integrity is there, holding up its shining answer.
The question is, what will you do with that answer? Wherever you are, and no matter who isn’t, or is, looking?
What’s your take? Does integrity matter? Should your professional “persona” be consistent with your personal self? Or do you draw a clear line between “work” and “life”? Come chat in the comments section or bring the conversation to Twitter.
Living with integrity is what will give you peace of mind the last day of your life, or what will haunt you if you choose not to.
No paycheck, no raise, no goal, nothing should be more important to you than your integrity.
At the end of the day, although your persona is put out there for “all” to see, you still have to live with the decisions you made YOURSELF.
I’m a fairly private person and tend only to divulge to others what I’d like to actually know about them.
I need a distinction between work and private life to cope with the stress you mentioned.
Thanks for this post.
Wonderful post and I loved your comment about how unpacking integrity is hard. Also, I think it’s somehow been wired into our brains that we must be different people in our personal and work lives, but it’s almost impossible. No one operates on channels 2, 4 and 6 – we’re just one person. Thank you for this great, thought provoking post. I sent it on to a few friends who I thought would like it.
@ Carlos – It’s true, integrity matters more than those other things, but it’s funny, sometimes, how we get that mixed up, make our integrity a master to a paycheck, a raise, a goal, etc. Thanks for the great insight!
@ Kathryn – This is a great thought – I think in today’s world, we can get so easily caught up in the what others think or know about us part, we forget about what we think of ourselves. Taking some time to really sit down with that thought and push yourself to answer some hard questions is really very important.
@ Laura – Thanks for the kind words! It’s true, we are just one person, at work, at home, at church, online, wherever we are. But the stress of balancing all these different “plates” can ease somewhat if you simply embrace that fact and let your integrity lead your action wherever you are. So glad you enjoyed the post! Hope to continue the conversation with you!