According to the news this AM, the word definition most often inquired on the computer during 2005 is "integrity." Does character still count? Kind of surprised me, what do you think?

 

On a related note, does anyone know an adjective form for integrity? HPH

 

Character sure counts to me. I know many people with little integrity and few with it. I have lots of respect for people of integrity.

 

Doc, I would guess that "integral" is the adjective form, but that doesn't quite catch the meaning, does it?

 

I've heard companies training their new recruits ethics. I thought we learned that at home and in school many years ago. I guess times have changed.

 

We, ALL employees, get ethics training ALL the time at my work place. We even had to sign a piece of paper saying we as individuals were 'ethical' or we would be shown the door.

The CEO who came up with this brilliant scheme is no longer at the company, dismissed for diddling a coworker not long after implementing his little good citizen program. I think his soon-to-be ex-wife will inflict a life lesson.

Perhaps integrity is difficult to spell and people want to get it right when using it in a sentence. Such as, "My CEO has no integrity."

 

The number two definition in Webster's for Integrity is: firm adherence to a code of os esp. moral or artistic values: INCORRUPTIBILITY.

I once attended a corporate meeting where a Senior Manager addressed the employees and talked about the importance of team work and personal integrity in all of one's dealings with people. Both, coworkers and customers.

Then, the next topic was announcing a new sales promotion spiff program called "Steal the Deal!" Oh, the irony of it all.

 

Most states now require CPAs to take a 4 hour course in ethics once every three years (the typical licensing cycle). Because I am licensed in both New York and New Jersey I have to sit through both versions.

I know the states implemented these with good intentions, but it is my opinion that they fall short of doing what they were intended to do. I imagine this is the case with most of the ethics requirements in most fields.

I think that courses like this were mostly knee jerk reactions to some of the things that have been going on all around us. Ethics and integrity has to be taught long before a person enters a profession. If the person doesn't know it by that time, its already too late.

 

I can't think of a profession that wouldn't apply to. There is a variety of personality type in every walk of life. There are homeless people with integrity, and there are professionals who are scumbags.

 

Integrity stems from a person's character. I don't think people can be trained to become ethical unless the consequences of not practicing it is designed to be extremely painful either by financial loss or public humiliation and embarassment. Either you are ethical or you are not. Ethics cannot be legislated in my view.