How to Be a Person of Integrity
http://www.setthestageforsuccess.com/articles/23333/1/How-to-Be-a-Person-of-Integrity/Page1.html
Rejoyce Wilson-Herbert
Rejoyce Wilson-Herbert is the founder of National Information Resource Services (NIRS), an organization committed to educating people on the home care industry. Currently residing in Newport Coast, CA, Rejoyce is the General Manager of MemorialCare Home Caregivers. She is also a nationally recognized advocate for the elderly
and is one of the most highly-sought after speakers in her field. She is a proud mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and continues to work hard and help people realize their own goals.By Rejoyce Wilson-Herbert
Published on 10/31/2008
Living in integrity lets you sleep soundly at night. It is the inner knowledge that you are living according to the principles to which you ascribe, even when it is personally challenging. As a forty year veteran of the home health industry I've seen this term used as though it were a ribbon to be earned in a moment. Real integrity is not a fleeting thing. It isn't a moment in time. It's a series of actions that define you.
Random House Webster defines “integrity” as an uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles. For the past forty years I have been involved in the health care industry and one of the words I often hear people attach to themselves is “INTEGRITY.” Unfortunately all too often I see them involve themselves in situations that go against the very principles of the word.
As a self-appointed advocate for the elderly and the shut-ins, I have had to make decisions that sometimes challenge my integrity. It was a Good Friday and I had promised my staff that we would close the office at 1:00 pm and begin the Easter weekend early. At 12:55 p.m. a call came into the office, it was a daughter calling from New York seeking help for her mother who lives here, in California, alone. It seemed that her mother had fallen and she was unable to discern the severity of the problem. I was already in the mind set of being off on a mini vacation, and believe me I needed that vacation. Then that small voice in my head spoke and I remembered that I promised I would be an advocate—and that meant no matter what I wanted to do, I needed to help.
When I arrived at Mrs. Jones’ home, I discovered that she was in bed, in a lot of pain and had not eaten for two days. Despite this she thought that she could have waited until after the Easter holiday to call her physician. Seeing the state she was in broke my heart. The fact that she had reconciled to being in that state for any period of time only further encouraged my next actions.
I called her physician, lined up a caregiver and set up transportation to get her to her physician’s office. I also prepared her something to eat and stayed with her until the caregiver arrived.
When I set out that evening, I was going to see a prospective client, but by the end I realized that my satisfaction came from knowing that I had helped two people. The first, a kind woman in clear need of assistance. The second, an anxious, caring daughter fearing the worst from over 3,000 miles away.
I was reminded then as I am so often that this is what this business is all about. It’s about seeing the person in need discovering how we can best serve that person. It’s thinking less about our own personal gains and more about how our positive actions will have a positive result. Knowing that Mrs. Jones was being cared for and her daughter in New York was able to have some peace of mind left me feeling good inside.
While you may not work in a profession that provides you an opportunity to serve people so obviously in need, there are things that you can do to be a person of integrity.
As a self-appointed advocate for the elderly and the shut-ins, I have had to make decisions that sometimes challenge my integrity. It was a Good Friday and I had promised my staff that we would close the office at 1:00 pm and begin the Easter weekend early. At 12:55 p.m. a call came into the office, it was a daughter calling from New York seeking help for her mother who lives here, in California, alone. It seemed that her mother had fallen and she was unable to discern the severity of the problem. I was already in the mind set of being off on a mini vacation, and believe me I needed that vacation. Then that small voice in my head spoke and I remembered that I promised I would be an advocate—and that meant no matter what I wanted to do, I needed to help.
When I arrived at Mrs. Jones’ home, I discovered that she was in bed, in a lot of pain and had not eaten for two days. Despite this she thought that she could have waited until after the Easter holiday to call her physician. Seeing the state she was in broke my heart. The fact that she had reconciled to being in that state for any period of time only further encouraged my next actions.
I called her physician, lined up a caregiver and set up transportation to get her to her physician’s office. I also prepared her something to eat and stayed with her until the caregiver arrived.
When I set out that evening, I was going to see a prospective client, but by the end I realized that my satisfaction came from knowing that I had helped two people. The first, a kind woman in clear need of assistance. The second, an anxious, caring daughter fearing the worst from over 3,000 miles away.
I was reminded then as I am so often that this is what this business is all about. It’s about seeing the person in need discovering how we can best serve that person. It’s thinking less about our own personal gains and more about how our positive actions will have a positive result. Knowing that Mrs. Jones was being cared for and her daughter in New York was able to have some peace of mind left me feeling good inside.
While you may not work in a profession that provides you an opportunity to serve people so obviously in need, there are things that you can do to be a person of integrity.
- Be true to your word no matter what. This may sometimes mean working late or volunteering when you'd rather be relaxing but integrity requires that you say what you mean, mean what you say and take action to prove it.
- Honor your commitments. If you make a promise, keep it. If you can't keep it, don't make it. Simple to say but challenging to do, especially in this world of push-pull.
- Encourage others to rise above their situation and be part of the solution. Don't sit back in judgment of what others aren't doing. Support and reward their efforts to help with praise and recognition. You never know what other kind deeds you'll inspire.