As you know, over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of celebrities – and in doing so, the “butterflies” I got when meeting them tended to settle down pretty quick after the first few. Most are a pleasure to deal with. A few, not so much. But it IS a pleasure when I get the chance to work with someone who is a true, consummate professional – who shows up prepared, ready to work and doesn’t need a group of people surrounding them to do the job. Kevin O’Leary is such a person. Although he’s considered an asshole by many, I can tell you he delivers on what he promises. Jesse Itzler, Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran also come to mind. One of the best is, without a doubt, Dr. Nido Qubein.
Over my career I’ve worked extremely hard to be a person of integrity – the person who others know will do what I say I’ll do, follow through and deliver.
Someone who shows up to every meeting, every job, on time, fully prepared, ready to perform. If you want to differentiate yourself, this is it. Far too many people come up short in doing what they say they will do and shrug it off if they don’t, explaining away their laziness. Many willfully neglect their responsibilities and promises without feeling any sort of shame.
The other day I had to yet again yell at another pool company for leaving my gate open after their weekly maintenance visit. Many of you know the story of me running like a crazy person down a flight of steps at eight months pregnant, trying to save my dog from getting killed by a car because a landscaper failed to close the gate. Recently, our pool company left the gate open, and Rocket, my 110-pound white German shepherd, got out at night to chase a deer. We live in a deeply wooded area with a very steep decline where there are no streetlights to find him. Had I not bought a tracking collar, he would have surely been lost or killed or have spent the night out in horribly inclement weather. Both my husband and I had to go traipsing through the woods in the freezing rain, late at night, to get him. As if that’s not bad enough, they did it a SECOND time at the next visit. Yeah. I was REAL happy about that. I yelled at them like the Chinese landlady in Kung Fu Hustle.
This type of sloppy behavior and LACK OF INTEGRITY is so rampant in so many companies that we, the consumer, have given up on ever finding someone who is a TRUE professional to do the job 100% right, 100% of the time.
Why don’t more companies switch IT providers, even when they KNOW their current one isn’t great? It’s because there’s a pain of disconnect – and most are not certain the new company is going to be any better than who and what they have now.
The word “integrity” has two meanings.
First, the quality of being an honest person with “strong moral principles.” The other, to be whole, have strength and be “undivided.” There’s a lot to think about there. There is a growing need for people (and companies, professionals) who meet both definitions. Consciously or unconsciously, the marketplace will respond to and do business with people and companies who embody integrity, not just give it lip service in their marketing.
But having true integrity in everything you do requires a constant effort and focused determination.
Further, I believe that being a person of integrity is not just a smart business decision, but a moral one. It strengthens your confidence and resolve to know you ALWAYS do the right thing, ALWAYS show up prepared and ALWAYS deliver. It is a responsibility and an obligation. We cannot just accept things as they come and then shrug it off as “not our fault.” Such a life is very unfulfilling at best.
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