{"id":961,"date":"2011-01-01T22:34:33","date_gmt":"2011-01-02T03:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.darden.virginia.edu\/brunerblog\/2011\/01\/a-new-years-resolution-for-integrity\/"},"modified":"2013-09-18T15:44:26","modified_gmt":"2013-09-18T19:44:26","slug":"a-new-years-resolution-for-integrity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.darden.virginia.edu\/brunerblog\/2011\/01\/a-new-years-resolution-for-integrity\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Year’s Resolution for Integrity"},"content":{"rendered":"

A<\/span>bbott: Well, let’s see, we have on the bags, Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know is on third…
Costello: That’s what I want to find out.
Abbott: I say Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know’s on third.
Costello: Are you the manager?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: You gonna be the coach too?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And you don’t know the fellows’ names.
Abbott: Well I should.
Costello: Well then who’s on first?<\/p>\n

—Abbott & Costello Who\u2019s On First?<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

1.1.11. A date like today\u2019s naturally leads us to think about what is first in our lives. Where do we place our priorities and why? In other words, who (or what) is on first?<\/p>\n

The frequent answers deal with health (the source of many New Year\u2019s Day resolutions), family, loved ones, and so on. One\u2019s work and the workplace environment show up considerably farther down the list, if at all. Here, at the start of 2011, I would like to suggest that personal integrity in all you do <\/i>should vie for #1. <\/p>\n

First, integrity underpins virtually all of the other New Year\u2019s Day resolutions you might make. Want to lose weight this year? You need to be honest<\/u> with yourself about the difference between what your appetite wants versus what your body needs. Want a strong relationship with someone or a strong faith? It probably starts with keeping promises<\/u>. Want to rid yourself of a bad habit? You have to practice the right habits rather than just talk. Want to learn something new? You have to study. Honesty, reliability, and tangible demonstrations for values<\/u> are manifestations of integrity.<\/p>\n

Second, your peers need your integrity. Warren Buffett<\/a> annually reminds employees at Berkshire Hathaway how vitally important are ethics and integrity in all they do. He wrote, \u201c\u201cWe can afford to lose money. We can afford to lose a lot of money. But we cannot afford to lose one shred of our reputation. Make sure everything you do can be reported on the front page of your local newspaper written by an unfriendly, but intelligent reporter.\u201d[1]<\/a> A truism in management and family life is \u201cif you can\u2019t talk about it, it won\u2019t get done.\u201d Making progress on anything important is not a matter of giving orders: one must communicate, engage, enlist, and inspire others. So it is with creating a community of integrity. The best leaders get this and use plenty of opportunities to talk about integrity in the workplace. Last fall, the faculty and staff completed the first climate survey in 20 years\u2014the survey shows that trust is one of the most important values our community holds.<\/p>\n

Third, as I wrote last year, the Darden School and the University of Virginia expect you to manage, study, lead, and work with integrity because<\/i><\/p>\n