Last week my firm lost out on a major bid process.
I did my best - but it wasn't enough.
The submission process required that I had to rely on someone else to do something that they said they would - and they didn't. There were extenuating circumstances - but it boiled down to the fact that I neeeded to rely on someone else - and they failed to complete a task.
Now, there was a simple way that I could have ensured that the task was completed: I could have asked any one of a number of contacts in my professional network to comoplete the task - but the terms of the task were explicit in regards to the qualification of who could perform the task...and that would have required "stretching" the truth...a willingness to ask someone else to tell a lie.
The potential pay-off? Hundreds of thousands of dollars in new revenue..the creation of jobs for people.
The cost? My integrity.
But you see, that's just not who I am.
In matters of principle, you can't afford to venture into that gray area.
No matter what the consequences - I would rather win or lose by my principles.
For some men, winning isn't everything.
Honor. Integrity. Truth. I choose to believe that those are the things that count the most.
In the past, clients have made specific observations regarding their ability to rely on my rectitude. I take great pride in that reputation.
I would rather my small company remain small - than grow it by any means that might ever call into question my integrity.
When I speak of a thing, you will know that my words are true.
The Outlaw Josey Wales:
Ten Bears: These things you say we will have, we already have.
Josey Wales: That's true. I ain't promising you nothing extra. I'm just giving you life and you're giving me life. And I'm saying that men can live together without butchering one another.
Ten Bears: It's sad that governments are chiefed by the double tongues. There is iron in your words of death for all Comanche to see, and so there is iron in your words of life. No signed paper can hold the iron. It must come from men. The words of Ten Bears carries the same iron of life and death. It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life... or death. It shall be life.
I sleep well at night. My conscious is clean.
The end does not justify the means.
No comments:
Post a Comment