INTEGRITY

(ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSONALITY)
We started the Small Business Showcase to highlight small
businesses that are working hard to provide for the needs of
their community. We believe that small businesses are an
essential part of any thriving community and we want to give
them the opportunity to share their story.
Trust is like the air we breathe — when it’s present, nobody
really notices. When it’s absent, everyone notices.”
Learn and exchange knowledge to develop concrete internal
processes for compliance on business integrity. As business leaders,
create a holistic view and prepare company culture, policies and
procedure to promote informed corporate governance and
transparency.
Integrity and the Entrepreneur at Work
 Have you ever thought about what actually drives the
success of your small business? During a conversation in a
recent networking event someone said that nine out of 10
small businesses fail within the first 10 years of being in
business.
This points out this figure is probably
completely nonsense because so many different
factors need to be considered like time frame,
does fail mean out of business, and failure rates
in different industries. However, there is no
argument against the fact that many small
businesses do fail. So what drives the success
of those businesses that make it?
Like most great principles, the importance of integrity in
business gets a lot of lip-service, but it’s seldom a true way of
life, especially on the Internet. We have tuned ourselves to
distrust what we read and see because frankly, so much of it is
spin or an all-out lie. If it seems too good to be true, it probably
is…
Integrity is important in the workplace because it’s the only
way a small business will be able to grow and sustain itself
longterm. If integrity is not part of your small business model,
you have nothing.
 What It Means to Operate with
Honesty and Integrity in Small
Business
Honesty and integrity should be the
norm in any small business, and
yet we often hear of poisonous and
duplicitous business environments
that can affect staff and customers.
Honesty and integrity is not just
important but is vital to the success
of a small business.
Some highly professional
businesses must operate within a
framework that sets out specific
ethics rules. Attorneys, for
example, operate under very
specific and professional
standards that are published.
Rules are often set out by state
bars and there can be sanctions
for breaking them.
There are also strict rules for
architects, CPAs, medical doctors,
dentists, financial planners, estate
agents and stock brokers to ensure
they operate with honesty and
integrity and don’t make misleading
claims.
Small business owners operate in
the same marketplace as the so-
called professionals but there is a
key difference. There is no
universal written code of ethics and
no regulatory body to impose
sanctions on them.
The absence of a code of ethics
does not mean small businesses
should act in a way that would be
unthinkable for professionals. If you
are dishonest in business, it will
catch up with you and your
reputation will be tarnished. It’s all
very well to talk about being ethical
but how does it work in practice?
 What Is Integrity In The Workplace?

Most of us have heard the term before, but what is the meaning
of integrity in the workplace? What does workplace integrity look
like in practice?
Integrity in the workplace comes in many forms, but above all refers to having upstanding character traits and work ethics including sound judgement, honesty, dependability, and
loyalty. A well-known definition is: Integrity is doing the right thing (through your words, actions and beliefs) when no one is watching.
 Having a high degree of integrity at work means that:
You are trustworthy and reliable
You practise and encourage open and honest communication
You are responsible for your actions
Therefore, maintaining integrity in a work setting is crucial for
employees at all levels, but especially as you continue to
move up the ladder. Having integrity helps foster an open and
positive work environment and an ethical approach to
decision-making.
Not only is workplace integrity beneficial to businesses, but
it is also beneficial to the individual. By showing that you are
an honest and dependable person, you’ll gain respect and
trust from your peers and managers, which can also play a
big part in your career growth, progression and overall
success. People with integrity value other people with
integrity
 Four Ways to Improve Integrity in Your Business

Integrity is not an innate skill. Instead, you should think of it as a

muscle that can get stronger or go soft when not used.

1. Evaluate It on a Personal Level

If you think there’s a problem with integrity at your company,

you should first inspect your personal moral compass and
see if it needs some maintenance.
· Are you following the same moral standards in your
personal and professional life?
· Do you evaluate your business decisions beyond the simple
cost-benefit dimension?
· Do you live and breathe the values and mission of your
business?
· Do you treat your clients and business partners as your
equals?
By constantly evaluating your actions, you’ll keep your integrity in
good condition and prevent it from getting compromised at any
point.
 2. Learn What ‘Integrity’ Means to Others

As a business owner, you may feel the temptation to enforce

your personal values across the company and imprint your
moral standards on employees. While your personal integrity
informs integrity in business, these are not quite
interchangeable things.
It’s important that integrity in your business is more than
your vision alone. It needs to be something your whole team
can legitimately buy into and associate with.
You want to learn what integrity means to your employees. See if your moral compass aligns with theirs and if they understand the mission of the company.
 3. Hire with Values in Mind
Once you’re ready to spread your wings and bring in fresh talent to
help you grow, you’ll want to look for people who uphold the same
moral standards you do.
hiring people with integrity:
Here’s what Warren Buffet said on

“Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for
three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t
have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it’s true. If
you hire somebody without [integrity], you really want them to be
dumb and lazy.”
Exceptional performers are in high demand but a track
record of performance can’t overrule work ethic. Make
sure you’re hiring people who are a culture addition,
not a culture conflict.
 4. Learn It from Others

Integrity may stem from intrinsic, personal principles but you don’t
always have to face difficult choices alone. Why not pick the brains
of people who’ve already mastered this game?
If you ever find yourself in a reading mood, be sure to pick Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. The book, authored by two highly-decorated Navy SEALs officers, successfully transfers a military philosophy of ethical leadership into a business environment. It’s a great read with many examples straight from the battlefield.
 Five Dimensions of
Integrity in Business
As a business owner, you’ve probably learned how to make
certain decisions almost automatically, based on a pattern that
has worked well so far. Sometimes, however, you should stop
and consider whether or not the decision you’re about to make is
OK with your moral compass.
Integrity in business has many faces, so you should be able to
recognize them when they come your way. Each represents an
opportunity to build or undermine your resilience.
 1. TRUST

Whether you store sensitive client data, handle confidential contract information or
promise to deliver quality service, you enter into a mutual relationship of trust with
your business partners.
In 2017, consumer credit reporting agency Equifax suffered a cyber attack during
which hackers stole the personal data of 145 million Americans, including social
security and driver’s license numbers. To make matters worse, the company stalled
reporting the incident while the CEO traded company stock to avoid losing money in
the aftermath.
Although the Equifax example is extreme, it shows what a lack of integrity can lead
to. Due to incidents like this, trust is in short supply these days so you need to make
an extra effort to make honesty and transparency priorities in your business.
 2. CONSISTENCY

Integrity in business is not something you can change on a whim. You

don’t juggle your morals depending on the situation or decide to put
them aside when it’s convenient. There will be times it’s easy and
natural to behave with integrity and times it’s more difficult.
Consistency means that you don’t ghost a longtime client if a more
lucrative contract comes around. You also don’t suddenly start cutting
corners and delivering subpar client work to focus on a gig that pays
better.
 3. OWNERSHIP

The ability to admit a mistake and face the consequences head-on is pure gold in
business. It takes guts to say, “I messed up,” make up for the wrongdoing and move
ahead without complaining.
That’s exactly what KFC did when the majority of its UK restaurants ran out of
chicken last February. Due to a supply-chain hiccup, over 800 restaurants had to
temporarily close their doors, which led many customers to vent their anger on
social media.
In response to the situation, KFC ran a tongue-in-cheek newspaper ad with an
apology. The ad featured an empty chicken bucket branded with “FCK” in place of
the restaurant’s iconic logo. Needless to say, the slipup helped KFC secure positive
publicity and showed they can take a joke.
 4. COLLECTIVITY
As your business grows, your integrity in business will become part of
a much bigger structure. The moment you bring in new talent to the
company or partner up with other independent contractors, you
assume moral responsibility for the people you choose to work with.
You can’t hope to run a business with integrity if your team doesn’t
play along. Individuals contribute their personal values across the
entire organization, so it’s your job to find and hire the right kind of
people.
Since integrity in business works both top-down and bottom-up, it would
be unreasonable to expect employees to exhibit a pristine work ethic and
make sound business decisions if you don’t provide the right example.As
your business grows, your integrity in business will become part of a much
bigger structure. The moment you bring in new talent to the company or
partner up with other independent contractors, you assume moral
responsibility for the people you choose to work with.
You can’t hope to run a business with integrity if your team doesn’t play
along. Individuals contribute their personal values across the entire
organization, so it’s your job to find and hire the right kind of people.
Since integrity in business works both top-down and bottom-up, it would
be unreasonable to expect employees to exhibit a pristine work ethic and
make sound business decisions if you don’t provide the right example.
 5. EVOLUTION

Workplace culture and its standards are constantly

changing. Saying and doing things that were acceptable 20
years ago is not going to cut it today.
You need to allow some headspace for your integrity to
grow and evolve too. Don’t become fixed or defensive.
Instead, stay open to continuous learning and improvement
as you, your business, and the world around you changes.
 The Seven Pillars of Integrity in the Workplace

HONESTY
RESPONSIBILITY
RESPECT
ETHICAL DECISION MAKING
ACCOUNTABILITY
TRUSTWORTHINESS
LOYALTY
DRIVE TO
ACHIEVE
A person with the drive to succeed has goals and puts forth
effort to reach those goals. The drive to succeed is a strong
indicator of persistence, sustained effort, and accomplishing
what one sets out to do. Whether they set their own tasks or
are given tasks by others, people in whom this drive is
strong feel the need to succeed.
WHAT IS MOTIVATION?
Motivation is what pushes us to achieve our goals, feel
more fulfilled and improve our overall quality of life.
At its core, motivation is the reason why you act or behave in
a certain way. It’s the driving force that pushes you to take
action, in spite of your fear or lack thereof.
Psychologists define motivation as the process by which
activities are started, directed, and sustained so that certain
needs are met.
These needs can be either psychological or physical. It’s
important to point out that motivation looks different for
everyone, depending on their needs and values. Moreover,
levels of motivation can change in different phases of your
Motivation is the internal and external factors that
contribute to a person’s desire to stay committed or
interested in a position, goal or subject. To excel in your
profession, you will need the motivation to continually
pursue your career objectives.
For example, you may want to be promoted to a higher
position of responsibility in your organization. Having a
specific goal will motivate you to deliver top-level
performance. This also applies when you are studying to
acquire a specialized skill that will enhance your earning
power.
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Using motivation to achieve goals and complete

tasks will be most impactful when you can
identify the type that works best for you. Most
types of motivation fall into one of these
categories:
 Intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation is internal. For example, you
might use intrinsic motivation when you feel
inspired to complete a task because it aligns
with your personal core values. If you volunteer
for a community food bank because you derive
motivation from helping others, you are likely
well-motivated by intrinsic factors.
 Extrinsic motivation

When you are motivated to act by external

factors, such as compensation or praise, you
are experiencing extrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation drives you to achieve
things for rewards such as a promotion,
raise, bonus, awards, and the need to
maintain your livelihood, among others
 MOTIVATION AND DRIVE
IN REAL LIFE
When we set an objective in life, whether it’s buying a house, getting a
promotion, or reaching a fitness goal, it all starts out with motivation.
Sometimes the motivation, or willingness to do something, comes as a
personal desire, and other times, you may want to do it for the good of
someone else. It’s the starting point for wanting to accomplish that
goal. Drive, which can also be viewed as action and commitment, is
what is going to get you to that end goal. Drive is what will keep you
going even when your motivation ebbs and flows.
Drive without motivation, however, can leave people
feeling burnt out and unfulfilled. If you have the drive to
finish a goal, whether that’s in your career or in fitness,
but not motivated to do it, you can end up feeling angry,
disappointed, or even indifferent to the end result. So,
how can you find the balance and which is more
important–motivation or drive?
 How can I stay motivated?
Here are some tips:
 Regularly review your goals and progress. Seeing progress is a
great motivator in itself, and also improves your self-esteem.
 Continue to set new goals. Think about what you want to achieve
next week, next month and next year. Tackle one goal at a time so
you don’t feel overwhelmed.
 Keep the momentum up. It takes most people about 2 months to
develop a new habit, but for some people, it can take much longer.
Keeping the momentum and routine helps it feel more automatic
over time.
 Find mentors, for example, someone you look up to who is
experienced in the habit you want to change. Finding social or
support groups with the same interest can help you find a
mentor.
 Surround yourself with positive people. Positive friends and
family enhance your positive self-talk. This also helps to
manage the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
 Use exercise as one of your daily goals to improve your
mental health.
WHAT IS SELF-
CONFIDENCE?
Self-confidence is an attitude about your skills and abilities.
It means you accept and trust yourself and have a sense of
control in your life. You know your strengths and weakness
well, and have a positive view of yourself. You set realistic
expectations and goals, communicate assertively, and can
handle criticism.
On the other hand, low self-confidence might make you
feel full of self-doubt, be passive or submissive, or have
difficulty trusting others. You may feel inferior, unloved, or
be sensitive to criticism. Feeling confident in yourself
might depend on the situation. For instance, you can feel
very confident in some areas, such as academics, but
lack confidence in others, like relationships.
Having high or low self-confidence is rarely related to your
actual abilities, and mostly based on your perceptions.
Perceptions are the way your think about yourself and these
thoughts can be flawed.

Low self-confidence might stem from different experiences,

such as growing up in an unsupportive and critical
environment, being separated from your friends or family for
the first time, judging yourself too harshly, or being afraid of
failure. People with low self-confidence often have errors in
 How To Increase Your Self-Confidence
 Recognize and emphasize your strengths. Reward and praise yourself
for your efforts and progress.
When you stumble on an obstacle, treat yourself with kindness and
compassion. Don't dwell on failure.
Set realistic and achievable goals. Do not expect perfection; it is
impossible to be perfect in every aspect of life.
Slow down when you are feeling intense emotions and think logically
about the situation.
Challenge making assumptions about yourself, people and situations.
Recognize that past negative life experiences do not dictate
your future.

Express your feelings, beliefs and needs

directly and respectfully

Learn to say no to unreasonable

requests.
Self confidence or faith in oneself is one of the most important qualities
required to succeed in life. While some people are naturally confident,
others might doubt their capabilities and have little trust in their abilities.
There are many things that having good confidence within yourself has proven
to have effect on. For example, people with high self-esteem when going
through a bad time in their life, are more likely to come through that stage
easier compared to those with a low self-esteem. People with high self-esteem
are also more likely to achieve things successfully that they may have felt
slightly apprehensive about trying, for example stepping out-with their comfort
zone. Having a high self-esteem can also impact a person’s academics, as a
person is more likely to do better with their work if they are confident in
themselves, compared to someone who is not confident in themselves. This
shows the importance of having a healthy self-esteem, and shows us as
teachers, how vital it is that we pay attention to children and their self-esteem.
Self-confidence is when you:
 trust and accept yourself
have a sense of control in your
life
know your strengths and
weaknesses
have a positive view of your abilities and
skills
 believe you can achieve your
goals