I’m a businessperson. I deal with competitors, changing markets, client demands, and a volatile economy. I do the best I can to support my family and create a fulfilling life. Some days the mission is easy and on others, the missiles and turbulence are intense. But that’s what makes the journey exciting.
I don’t want things to be easy. I don’t like my life being safe. Safe is boring. I like knowing that when I wake up each morning, I may lose. It energizes me. It fires me up. It forces me to out prepare, out think, and out work my competition. Because I know deep down I will do whatever it takes to win. But not at all costs. Not if I have to lie, manipulate, or cheat.
Winning to me means that I may have to lose. It may not be profitable or feel good, but sometimes losing is the best path to take…the right thing to do. Truly successful people realize this. Winning, while an awesome thing, isn’t everything. It doesn’t have to come at “all costs.”
A wingman – someone who you trust implicitly – has to be willing to lose.
Today, the news is filled with examples of people who pay any price to win. They sell out to their fear of losing. They do this by sacrificing the most critical building block of a successful business and life – their integrity. Sure they win. They beat the competition, get the business and gain market share. But the price that’s paid is character and honor. The cost normally can’t be measured in dollars, but sometimes it can (i.e. Enron, Bernie Madoff, etc.)
There are many ways to define integrity. But to me, integrity means:
- Honoring your commitments
- Being a man or woman of your word
- Doing the right thing (even when no-one is watching.)
- Admitting when you mess up (and accepting the consequences.)
- Never sacrificing your relationships or honor for money.
How do you define integrity? What does it really mean to you?
Of course, our integrity will be tested at times. Our judgment clouds as our passion, selfishness, greed and fear fight to take over on our quest to win. Sometimes, we mess up and our integrity gets scarred and cracked. When this happens, we need to fix it ASAP – We need to fess up, apologize sincerely, and pay the consequence. After all, integrity also means becoming whole. Nobody is perfect. We’re human.
Maintaining your integrity takes discipline, sacrifice and oftentimes an inordinate amount of courage. When you sacrifice your integrity, you erode your character. And over time, you will likely lose your most important asset – your reputation.
After your reputation, the next casualty is your honor. Without honor, we are nothing. We can’t be trusted. And we can’t trust ourselves. Are you willing to pay that price?
The cost of winning is indeed sometimes greater than losing. If you want to succeed in business and life, never lose integrity. Lose a sale, lose a client, lose a friend. But lose your integrity, and you lose your life.
Waldo Waldman
Your Wingman
WOW!
Waldo,
I think you should present this to Congress and the Senate and everyone else in DC. One can only imagine if all of them were on this page. i always enjoy reading your posts.
Keep up the excellent work Waldo.
One of your wingmen.
Don Prostka
Chicago
Excellent article Waldo! I wish everyone would adopt your philosophy. Keep up the good work my friend the world needs your message.
Waldo,
Thanks for your mothly encouraging words…
Your right on spot on integrity and honor, wothout it we all fail, ourselves, our families, our business associates, out persoal wing man / woman. We all must make the hard choices in life to succeed, and yes we do sometimes fail in the process, as long as we fail upward and foreword, learn from our mistakes we can contiue to fly strong….& help those around us.
Sincerly,
Jim Lange
Awsome!
You got it Jim. Have a great week.
Waldo
Push it up! Wingman Don.
Waldo,
So fundamentally sound and simple, yet so frequently forgotten during the heat of battle.
Society’s run and gun, get in front at all costs mentality has lead to the erosion of self-responsibility and awareness of what it truly important.
Keep up the good work, we got your back.
Mark
Waldo you are completley ridht about Intergrety. Honor Duty Country=Integrety! In whatever role you play the best play is to never quit! Thanks for keeping me in the loop Waldo!
You hit it on the head Mark. Its starts with the leaders and goes from there. I think America in general respects folks when they make the tough choices and even admit when they mess up. Keep pushing it up Mark!
Thanks Waldo for the reminder that without integrity there is no honor. My Dad came from the generation that a handshake was an agreement; you honored your word no matter what! I’m with Don, we need integrity in Washington, DC. I always look forward to your articles. Push it up!! Cathy
Hi Waldo,
Without these basic virtues, we are nothing and strangely enough I generally feel sorry for anyone who has not maintained their integrity. This is because while they may seem to have all the trappings and appearance of success/happiness, etc. they can’t be truly at one with themselves (unless of course they are suffering from some form of sociopathic disorder).
Hopefully at some stage in the very near future, you will have the opportunity to present your words’o’wisdom to the audience that needs them most!
Cheers,
Derek
Great Book Waldo,
Everyone should learn these skills and adapt them as character traits. In reality we were tought this in kindergarden, the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and forgotten in college and business.
Rich Bearhalter
Thanks Rich….and So true…These foundational skills need to be taught/digested early. That’s why as parents and educators our job is so important.
INCREDIBLE! WOW FACTOR!
Thanks Waldo, Wow! I just started reading your articles, watching your videos, ordered the first chapter of your book & will order the book.
Your message is one that the world needs to here. For me I learned early from my Dad Integrity and honesty is everything.
~ Gloria Houghton
“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.”
? Warren Buffett
We have similar dads Gloria.
[...] THE PRICE OF INTEGRITY – The most important building block of a successful business and life New York Times bestselling author Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman, The Wingman. Former fighter pilot and motivational keynote speaker on teamwork in business. Never Fly Solo. [...]