How do I maintain my integrity and remain competitive in the workplace?

Integrity and competition are not necessarily conflicting values. In fact, they can decidedly work to your advantage.

Ethics is not about what we say or what we intend, it’s about what we do. This is the heart of integrity – demonstrating a consistency between ethical principle and ethical practice. Integrity is a fundamental measure of character.

In “What Do You Stand For,” former Johnson & Johnson CEO James Burke demonstrated his integrity when he put the interests of consumers ahead of company profit. In 1982, after seven people in the Chicago area died after ingesting cyanide-laced Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules, Burke pulled all forms of Tylenol from every store in the country. Although the cost to the company was $100 million, Burke recognized that the public’s trust was more important.

Today, Johnson & Johnson benefits from a reputation as a company that has, through it’s ethical actions, earned the public’s trust. As a result of this trust, Tylenol products have enjoyed a strong increase in sales. In a competitive marketplace nothing can take the place of a good reputation. Nothing can build better, long-term trusting relationships.