Integrity and the Workplaces We Choose

“This above all: to thine own self be true.”

Noble sentiments and good advice can come from the most unlikely places. The fellow who uttered the words above spoke wisely, although he was reprehensible in several other ways.

Anyway, he got his comeuppance. Go see Hamlet if you want the details.

Recently I’ve been musing over egalitarian workplaces: how to make one, how fun and flow fit into the picture, and how we can create working environments where people are able to do their best work. It seems to me that being true to your values, and ensuring those values are compatible with where and how you work, is an essential part of the equation.

So how do you know whether your values are compatible with your workplace?

First, answer me this: what are your values?

Tricky question.

There is a simple way to begin answering it, at least in relation to work, and it goes like this:

Remember a working relationship you have had in the past that you really enjoyed. Perhaps it was with a person you worked for, worked alongside, studied with, or learned from. It may even have been a teacher you really liked. If you can think of several, narrow it down to the most recent two.

I’ve worked in quite a few places, and I can think of a couple of people whose titles were, somewhat ironically, “Manager.” I say ironically because neither of them seemed very keen on doing much managing. They mostly kept out of my way, which, in my opinion, was one of their finer qualities.

For each of these two people, describe what you liked about them.

For me, they were fun-loving, laid back, had a “why not, can do” attitude, were un-hierarchical, egalitarian thinkers, and were not dogmatic.

Repeat this exercise for the other person and there you have it: a small but useful map of the values you respond to at work.

Once you know what matters to you, you can start looking for a workplace where you can be true to yourself.

I hear you saying, “How do I find a place like that?”

A little detective work helps. Or, of course, you can make your own.

Finding one is probably the more difficult option, because these workplaces still seem to be rare. Most companies do not advertise their deeper virtues unless they are Google, Virgin, or very excited about their office slide.

So, sleuth gear on.

Ask lots of questions. Ask the people you will work with, the people you will report to, and, if you can, a few people who are not in the recruitment performance at all. Listen carefully to what they say, and what they do not say. A picture will usually start to form.

If people are reluctant to answer reasonable questions, run away fast.

Remember, you may spend a very large portion of your working life in that environment. It is worth investigating first.

You may be thinking, “It’s just a job.”

But remember the opening statement of this article. Is calling your whole day’s effort “just a job” a kind of self-deception?

Don’t lie to yourself.

Be selective. Investigate doubts. Do not commit yourself to a situation where you have to compromise yourself every day just to get through it.

You are too valuable to be treated like that.