A Story About Integrity & Ethics

 

[image credit: Oregongal on pixabay.com]

Today's meditation:

A story about integrity & ethics.

There once was a private, in an army, going through Basic Training.

He had some small measure of meager leadership skills, and so was appointed one of several Squad Leaders, for a number of men.

One of his duties was to inspect his men, every morning, based on the requirements established by the Drill Sergeant.

On one particular morning, a solder in this man's squad was not shaved, his uniform was rumpled, and his boots were dirty. This was a serious infraction - and required the Squad Leader to report this individual to the Drill Sergeant.

The soldier was angry, and complained loudly to the Squad Leader.

What the soldier didn't notice - is that the Squad Leader's own boots, while certainly not dirty - did not meet the level of polish sufficient to meet the Squad Leader's own minimum standard of quality.

The time came to stand in formation.

As the Drill Sergeant walked the line, and stood in front of each Squad Leader to hear their inspection report - the entire squad heard the Squad Leader report the soldier, and himself.

That's the level of integrity and ethics I demand of myself - and expect of my team members.

I was that Squad Leader.