In the cherry tree legend, when confronted by his angry father about a chopped down cherry tree, six-year-old George replied, “I cannot tell a lie . . . I did cut it with my hatchet.” Washington’s father embraced his son and rejoiced that his son’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees. In today’s business world, personal integrity is still a pillar of true success. Whether you’re seeking investors, securing for top talent, or building a base of committed customers, maintaining a high level of integrity is a key factor. But what is integrity? Who determines where you fall on the scale? “Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty” is the dictionary.com definition, but what defines moral character? Honesty? In the case of you and your business, it is defined by the vendors, talent, customers, etc. who are affected by the quality of your character and the level of your morality. So what are they seeking? What are the common denominators that most of them define as integrity? Consider these eight measuring sticks of integrity. It starts at the top: Business integrity must begin at home base. If the “lead off” batter doesn’t get a hit, the next player can’t increase his “runs batted in” Don’t ask your staff to hold to a standard that you fail to keep. Draw your line in the sand: Set your personal and business moral code and stick to it. Be consistent day in and day out. Your vendors, staff, and customers want to be able to depend on your stance. Hold to a high standard of honesty: Be as honest in what you don’t say as in what you do say. Even if it initially hurts, lay the truth on the line. If your company makes an error, take responsibility – let your customer know that not only were you at fault, but you will fix it. Keep your commitments: If you say you will do X, and you will have it complete in Y, then do it, and do it well. Make it your rule of thumb to get each job done on time . . . or sooner. Build and prove your trustworthiness: Trust takes time. It is the result of consistency, kept commitments, and interpersonal relationship. You aren’t doing business with numbers, you’re not hiring robots, you’re dealing with people. Be personal. Be warm. Be relational. Give them a reason to trust. Respect everyone: Regardless of cultural differences, positions, income level, race, age, personal attractiveness, or any other defining difference, be kind and considerate, and courteous to all. Look them in the eye and listen to what they say. Live by the golden rule. Treat cheating like a plague: Never compromise your integrity by cheating. It will only come back to bite you.  Do the right thing because it’s the right thing: Even when it is difficult and comes with a personal cost, still do the right thing. In the end, the ROI will always pay off. Establishing the habit of personal and professional integrity is foundational to success. It can be a difficult challenge and require personal cost, but in the end, the Roi is amazing. MPS Technical places a high value on integrity, starting at the top. We know your precision manufacturing business depends on it. Contact us today and discover the difference we can make when seeking high-quality, staffing.