Most of us, who are here, sincerely believe that we are professionals, and we have our own reasons for believing that. As per my understanding, among other things, one of the most important qualities of a professional should be integrity.
Simply said, it means:
• We follow the rules
• Where rules don’t exist, we use fair judgment
• When in doubt, we don’t go ahead and do what suits us; we seek counsel
• Finally, faced with a difficult choice, we ask ourselves: can my act stand public scrutiny with no embarrassment to me and my family
It also implies “do we mean what we speak?” When we talk of benefit to others as if our full act is for benefit of others, do we hide that it is for my personal brand building to help me raise millions? When we build a team or community, how transparent we are with them? Do we understand that no one wants or likes to be taken for a ride? Do we understand that vulnerability and transparency bring trust, the absence of which, is the first dysfunction of any team?
Growth as a professional does not mean only getting more qualifications and more success in the business world. It also means we grow as an individual, where we are not afraid or embarrassed about any act that we might have done in the past. It also means that we speak, about what we plan to do, and whether we succeed or not. It is about our intentions matching your words, and our commitments. That is how we make our personal brand, one step at a time. We don’t make personal brands by writing technically and politically correct statements and posting them on social media. We should make a personal brand that we feel the proudest of. It should not be built on opportunism and deceit.
Why I am telling these things here? Because our success in life should not be judged by how many millions we earn or how many milestones we crossed on our path. It should be judged by the amount of inner happiness and peace it gives us when we are alone brooding our story without any rationalization of our actions.
This will also help us in the present moment of our path, by showing us the track we are using for our growth. The support that we get in life depends on our actions and what people think about us. The least we can do is, to be honest with the people with whom we are dealing, maybe friends, family, relatives, peers, and even strangers on the road. Very interestingly, the amount of support that we get from others, is mostly proportional to how much we help others. Some exceptions should not move us away from our beliefs. People, in general, are good till personal stakes and interests interfere. This means that if we really want to grow in life, we have to look for win-win solutions all the time. It should not be our victory at a cost of others’ loss. Or are we in a hurry to win by hook or crook?
The choice is yours.
If you have a dilemma, get back to me. Comment below and let us discuss things.