If your boss or co-workers were told they could choose only five words to describe you, what would they say? To paraphrase Jack Nicholson's line in his movie, "Can you handle the truth?"
Most people, including myself, want to be described as an ethical person. Words like trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship and integrity sure come to my mind as words I would like people to say about myself. However, what I have found out is that these can just be words on paper or words on the wall. And I have also found out that ethics is easier said than done.
The hardest part is not knowing what is the right thing to do…but actually doing it. I told you in the last blog that these are what I refer to as the “pop quizzes” of character. These are the moments where your choices meet face to face with what you are telling people about yourself and your reputation. They will either reinforce your reputation and what you are saying or they will change it in an instant. And here’s the interesting thing, one poor choice can ruin your life forever. This is where it might be wise to keep in your head that “you will always be remembered for your last worst act!”
The other thing that I have become aware of in my life is that it takes character to engage in open-minded self-reflection and make any necessary changes. That’s what these ethics in business blogs are all about. It’s an attempt to get you to TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF. That’s easier said than done. It’s so easy to look “out there” first and question what those people are doing than focusing on yourself. And as long as you’re focused on “out there” it will keep you from examining your own choices. It will also give you permission to accept “out there” as the bar at which ethics is to be set.
Let’s look at it another way. Do you know someone who makes good choices and is a role model in one or more of the following areas: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship, honesty, courage, diligence and integrity? Does someone come to mind fairly quickly? Is it someone you know pretty well? Now, ask yourself this question: Who would name you? C’mon, answer the question, “who would name you?” If you can’t think of anyone, why not? What does it say about where you are right now in terms of being a person of good character? And what do these qualities have to do with being effective in the workplace?
Answering these questions is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. When it really comes down to it, it’s all about character. It’s not how much money you have, the title you have, where you live, what you drive, or what you wear. Think about this...when was the last time you saw a U-haul behind the hearse? You will not be taking your spouse, friends, parents or any of your material possessions with you. But you will be taking with you what you have done over the years as well as what you have become. What you have become will be based solely on the choices you have made in your life. Choices when others were watching you as well as choices made when no one was watching you. What you will leave behind is your reputation. Your reputation is being constructed by each one of the choices you make while on this earth. It is not about what you say in life. It is actually what you do that will determine how you are going to be remembered by others.
It's like the old proverb “If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you would want people to say about you after you die, then live backwards.”
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