The text describes integrity as a mindful state of acting purposefully to fulfill the promises and commitments a person makes to others. It is also associated with honesty, openness, commitment and trust (p. 346). Integrity is a highly desired quality in the workplace and within peoples’ personal lives.
When I think of integrity in the workplace, I look to management to set a good example for their employees. I believe management should be open and fair in regard to their employees’ well being. However, this wasn’t the case at last job. My manager was a peer for a few years before she literally stole my previous manager’s job to take her position. She threatened to quit unless she was given the position as the CEO’s admin. Management liked her so much that they granted her wish and moved the former CEO’s assistant to a different department and position. Once she became our manager she would stop at nothing short of constantly lying to us and gossiping about our fellow colleagues. Her main goal seemed to be to turn us against each other and make her look like an angel to her superiors. She couldn’t keep anything confidential and she loved to air everyone’s dirty laundry. It made me sick and so sad for my once close-knit admin group.
No matter how hard we tried to get management to realize how manipulative she was, they didn’t seem to notice or care. She had them wrapped around her fingers and there was no way of stopping her. Rather than add fuel to the fire, I did everything I could to avoid causing tension between us. I wouldn’t participate in her deceitful banter and I made sure not to gossip about her with the other admins.
Thankfully, I left the company to watch my daughter and finish school so I am free from her toxic grip. I still find myself wondering why someone so completely insecure could manage to have so many fooled for so long.
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Sadly, there are co-workers and management like you described at nearly every organization. Integrity is highly desired in the workplace but is few and far between. I can never understand people who try to manipulate and turn co-workers against each other. It doesn't do the organization any good and in the end, that person is only hurting themselves. I'm glad that you had the opportunity to leave the company. It's difficult when management loves someone who is so toxic to everyone else below them. Management doesn't see it because the person masks it well and plays their role.
ReplyDeletePeople need to be the center of attention, and I think that is what was going through that managers head. She liked everyone talking about her and she loved everyone listening to her lies. If no one would listen to what she was doing wrong then you should have gotten out of the work environment. When it comes to people you want to let yourself trust them and you try to trust them but sometimes they don’t show you a reason to. You just need to make sure that you are not sacrificing your integrity when you are working. Be as trustworthy as you can.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I am sorry you had to go through a work experience with someone like her. On top of that definition, I want to consider integrity as an act in the "best interests of others, regardless of the cost to themselves" (p 346). An individual with such state of mind provide benefits and positive outcomes to others without knowing the consequences that they may be facing.
ReplyDeleteThe story about Aaron Feuerstein deciding to keep his employees even after the fire at the Malden Mills really touches me. It also got me to think, would anyone be that generous and willing to keep the workers employ in this downturn of economy. Lately, all I hear is that people are getting laid off or the company is cutting the work hours, let alone put as a priority by the employees. And if any one with the power or authority become self-centered and close minded, I am sure they won't hold the title long before it come back to hunt them.