The Secret About Secrets, or Integrity Matters
Your boss shares something with you that she or he describes as, "just between you and me," or "don't tell anyone else about this," and you think your boss is doing this because you are such a likable person.
While that may be the case, where your boss, and perhaps their boss is concerned, your career may be at a cross-road. Integrity matters.
If your performance is graded on a periodic basis, as is the case I hope for all of us, the process used for your evaluation probably includes both specific (SMART as we would say) goals, and other softer indicators of your net value to the team. These softer indicators might include Innovation, Teamwork, Communication, or Integrity.
In the nuclear power industry the phrase, "integrity of the reactor coolant system" is often used. Simply stated, it means "no leaks." Nuclear plant owners spend millions to ensure that this integrity
remains sure.
In your career, how much in salary or position are you willing to risk to 'leak' the information the boss or other leader has shared with you--just to satisy that human itch you have to share it (confidentially of course) with others?
You (and I) are often vain enough to think that the boss shared the big secret with us just because we are great people. And even further, we are foolish enough to think that even though the boss said not to, we just can't help overselves. We rationalize it as, 'the boss just wants a controlled leak, and he chose me.'
But the reality is, you should treat every such occurrence as a test! That's right, a test. Many times these messages may be something relatively minor, soon to be announced to the whole department or company, and you are getting a heads up. Other times these are matters that no one else needs to know, and it may very well be that you are being tested. Since good rumors travel near the speed of light, it won't take long before the "rumor" makes its way back to the boss. And the chances of you ever hearing, "that man/woman is a person of great personal integrity" is now very slim.
But let's just keep this between you and I, okay?
While that may be the case, where your boss, and perhaps their boss is concerned, your career may be at a cross-road. Integrity matters.
If your performance is graded on a periodic basis, as is the case I hope for all of us, the process used for your evaluation probably includes both specific (SMART as we would say) goals, and other softer indicators of your net value to the team. These softer indicators might include Innovation, Teamwork, Communication, or Integrity.
In the nuclear power industry the phrase, "integrity of the reactor coolant system" is often used. Simply stated, it means "no leaks." Nuclear plant owners spend millions to ensure that this integrity
remains sure.
In your career, how much in salary or position are you willing to risk to 'leak' the information the boss or other leader has shared with you--just to satisy that human itch you have to share it (confidentially of course) with others?
You (and I) are often vain enough to think that the boss shared the big secret with us just because we are great people. And even further, we are foolish enough to think that even though the boss said not to, we just can't help overselves. We rationalize it as, 'the boss just wants a controlled leak, and he chose me.'
But the reality is, you should treat every such occurrence as a test! That's right, a test. Many times these messages may be something relatively minor, soon to be announced to the whole department or company, and you are getting a heads up. Other times these are matters that no one else needs to know, and it may very well be that you are being tested. Since good rumors travel near the speed of light, it won't take long before the "rumor" makes its way back to the boss. And the chances of you ever hearing, "that man/woman is a person of great personal integrity" is now very slim.
But let's just keep this between you and I, okay?
posted by Duane Olcsvary at 11:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home