Business with Integrity
Examination & its Application

During spring term 2012, I read Business with Integrity in its entirety. According to a professor of social theory, “Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy” . The laws of the universe, with their many complex, intricate designs created by the Father’s will, are built entirely on their foundations of integrity. And they cannot falter. If one member, one iota, of the laws of physical science fell off its pedestal of what is built around it as trust, catastrophes of immense, complete destruction would ensue. Luckily men are to not be held up to these standards of exactness and consistency. It is a good thing the Lord has not made our flaws as detrimental as that of the elements of physics or upheld to the integrity of our perfected Lord Jesus Christ. We are provided a snippet of time and allowed leniency; may I show the same mercy to others.
In my examination of integrity, I tend to have my mind focused on the method of integrity and how to apply it towards my brothers and sisters of the world. While I was reading the foreword, some things struck me to the bone, words of enlightenment that I will have framed and mounted on a wall in my home. A quote by President Harold B. Lee described courage, “courage is the quality of every virtue acting at its highest testing point”. Being a mom, a single mom, a student, and a blue-collar worker, these words of wisdom provide a kind of pinch in my sides and leave a ringing in my ears. There are many times where the pressure had been on, times where I cracked; displaying my weak points forever more in the memories of those offended. If I had perfected my learning experience during these situations, staying within the heat of pressure, holding strong till the end, I would have grasped the propelling opportunity to transform into a diamond; flawless and resilient. Other words of wisdom every mother, father, and employer should not only have framed on a wall but have imprinted across the heart: “by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile,” then may we teach as the Lord teaches. In times of argument and trial, these times can be that of a wonderful learning experience, retraining our mindset that the task of leadership not be purely that of task, but become a work of glory and joy.
John E. Pepper said, “The mission of leadership, it seems to me, is to guide and enable purposeful growth of individuals and institutions”. To me the laws of physics, the family unit, and the business community, a good one, are molded out of the same ideal; they provide purposeful growth through integrity and enabling. If the leader is not faithful to his duties, many of the organization become disgruntled and bitter, distrustful and without purpose in their hearts. When reading about all of these successful business men and women of the church holding true to their ancestry (being descendants of spiritual royalty) times can be rough at the onset of denying instant gratification and suffering financial complications as a result. But, in the long term, becoming admired and having trust of those peers around them, holding onto their values and being noticed not only in a positive light by those around them but being recognized by the only ones who matter, the godhead
I remember sitting with my daughter and my mother and father discussing the proceeds of the day.
We do it for our families. It is at our core. I do it for mine. Sometimes we push our families away to do the work so they can have it better later. Is this just cause in doing so? We must find balance but how? I think that business structure should be performed much after the ways of family structure. It must be based on trust, consistency, integrity, or those of your family unit and business will lose hope, which leads to lack of trust, …which can lead into the reds. Numbers may be seen detrimental where smiles and laughter are in the home.