JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Integrity first ... you have heard it before. But do you know what it really means?
The dictionary talks about integrity as basically following a certain code of values and remaining firm on them, So, it has something to do with doing the right thing, but can you relate to it? I hope so.
I like ideas like having a "moral compass" and collectively standing for what we feel is right. These ideas are extremely powerful and inspiring. Ultimately, they can provide a vector when everything else seems to be in chaos. However, applying this first core value is not always easy.
So how do we lose our way sometimes? Although some people are very clear on the idea of doing the right thing, for others the idea of what is "right" seems to get muddled. Some may say this is the product of a loss of faith. Others simply say that everything's relative or that there are no true right or wrong answers.
The multitude of factors that influence our decisions on a daily basis, such as comments by friends, job stress or family pressures, make determining what is "right" even more difficult. So how do we sort through all the noise and bring concepts like integrity or character down to earth? How do we make them applicable to our daily lives?
Well, one way is to get practical and not worry so much about philosophy. I'm not saying abandon your inner sense or "gut feeling" of right and wrong. I am simply saying we can add some very tangible reasons for making better, healthier choices that are very consistent with our Air Force values and ideals.
My perspective on this is influenced by my background as a mental health professional. I see people in the full range of emotional states and life dramas. How did they get there? Well, on the one hand, life happens. We cannot always change our circumstances, and sometimes bad things happen to good people. In those cases, we hopefully figure out how to cope and press on.
On the other hand, I am intrigued by cases where we are in the state we are because it is the path we have chosen. How many of us would make a different choice from time to time if we only had the chance to do it over? It is the old "sleep in the bed you made" cliché. In those cases, hopefully we learn from our decisions, try to make different choices in the future and press on.
But how do we avoid the negative path in the first place? We do this in a couple of ways. For one, realize we don't always have to act or react immediately in life. We don't always have to get what we want right when we want it. Rash decisions are, for the most part, risky. They may involve things that feel good in the moment but leave lasting consequences.
Consider the individual who would rather hop in his or her car after a few drinks instead of being "inconvenienced" by thirty minutes in order to wait for a ride. How do we know if our moral compass is working if we don't give it time to function for us?
This leads to another tip ... get better at foresight. I'm not saying to develop your abilities as a psychic. I'm saying to run scenarios in your head about potential outcomes. Who could be hurt later by a decision you make now? Look back to the examples above. The impact of driving under the influence of alcohol on lives and careers is well documented. (By the way, if you know activities such as drinking will impair your ability to make good decisions later, then that foresight process has to start much earlier.)
Are these approaches about doing the right thing or about self-preservation and staying out of trouble? I think they are about both. What I have seen time and time again is that doing the "right" thing in the short-term generally leads to better outcomes in the long-term (even if times are hard or painful initially).
So when leaders stand before you and talk about concepts related to character and integrity, I hope you feel inspired and motivated. However, I also hope you see that these are not just ideals.
Doing the right thing involves real, down-to-earth concepts you can use every day ... and I hope you will.