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{"id":3677,"date":"2010-12-19T19:50:44","date_gmt":"2010-12-20T00:50:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/shrinkingcamel\/?p=3677"},"modified":"2010-12-19T19:50:44","modified_gmt":"2010-12-20T00:50:44","slug":"whats-the-difference-between-ethics-and-integrity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/shrinkingcamel\/2010\/12\/19\/whats-the-difference-between-ethics-and-integrity\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Difference Between Ethics and Integrity?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"\"$ <\/a>Every few months I am asked to address the High Potential Leaders\u2019 group in our company, to share with them my vast wealth of leadership experience and business acumen.<\/p>\n

Actually, the HR Director just asked me to tell them a little bit about my job.<\/p>\n

Anyway, after I finished my most recent presentation to these ambitious up and comers, a strapping young man approached me and, out of the blue, asked, \u201cWhat is the difference between ethics and integrity?\u201d<\/p>\n

I wondered if it was a trick question, and looked around for the hidden video camera that was set up to test me.<\/p>\n

Apparently this had been a point of discussion earlier that morning, before I arrived, and there was an assignment to explore the subject in more depth. He wanted to see if my on-the-spot answer lined up with what the CEO had told them as part of their lesson that day.<\/p>\n

After thinking about it for a moment, I answered with this: \u201cEthics is about following the rules, and integrity is about doing the right thing, regardless of the rules.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m no expert, but this is just what came to mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re telling me someone could be ethical, but not have integrity?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d I replied. \u201cPlenty of people are just trying to stay out of trouble, only because the rules have been spelled out for them. That doesn\u2019t mean they wouldn\u2019t charge ahead with those same behaviors if they were not prohibited. Integrity comes from a greater depth of character.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reclined back in his chair, seeming pleased with my answer. It synched up pretty close, I guess, with what the Big Guy had said earlier.<\/p>\n

Whew.<\/p>\n

I suppose there is more to it than that, and if I wanted, I could do more research and consultation with the academic experts to explain it more completely. But lucky for me, I am not part of the High Potential Leaders\u2019 group.<\/p>\n

Marble photo by Nance Marie<\/a>, used with permish.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"