Many of you know that I attend many events each week that are of a networking nature. Quite often, there are door prizes and give aways for attendees. Even when we host our own events, we like to give away door prizes. It creates excitement and helps attendance. I happen to be known for being lucky and seem to win great gifts on a pretty regular basis. I claim that my winnings are due to living right and not luck. Not sure if that’s completely accurate but I like to throw it out there.
Some people don’t count on luck or living right but like to take matters into their own hands. Literally! Just the other day I watched a woman grab several extra $10 Starbucks gift cards that were being given away at a particular event. She had already been given a card upon entering the door. But I guess that wasn’t enough for her. She proceeded to find the stack of cards that were being handed out and grab not one or two extras, but was on her way to snatching a 4th one when she got busted and called out for it. She didn’t seem embarrassed or humbled at all at being caught with her petty theft. In fact, she was later overheard complaining about it all to her friend.
She will always be remembered by me and NOT in a good way. Her integrity was completely and forever lost over a $10 gift card. Not just in my eyes but in the eyes of everyone that watched the scene unfold as well as in the eyes of the people that she had the audacity to complain about it to. Unfortunately for her, I don’t think she sees this at all. It’s really kind of sad.
As I mentioned earlier, we at Woman’s InSite like to have drawings for door prizes when we host events. But we have noticed that a few people like to stuff the box with several business cards in order to increase their chances of winning. It’s not something we police during an event so we don’t see it happen but we know they do it because when we go through the cards after an event, sometimes we see 5, 6, 7 or even 10 cards for the same person in the box. Do people know how that looks? We are making judgments about them when we see what they have done and it’s not good. I have to ask, is it really worth it?
The funny thing is, we have noticed that box stuffing doesn’t seem to help anyone win. Drawings held during the event almost never produce a card from someone who has stuffed the box. I’ve got to think that the door prize gods are watching and karma is only kind if you are.
Hank Moore says
I agree with Kathryn on integrity. Reputations take years to nurture, and we must live by our integrity.
Here are some quotes on Integrity and Ethics, taken from my new book, “Power Stars to Light the Flame.”
* “The end must justify the means.” Matthew Prior
* “If I am not what I say I am, then you are not what you think you are.” novelist James Baldwin
* “What is moral is what you feel good after. What is immoral is what you feel bad after.” Ernest Hemingway
* “Virtue is not always amiable. The happiness of man, as well as his dignity, consists in virtue.” President John Adams (1779)
* “Very often, our virtues are only vices in disguise.” La Rochefougauld
* “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” Mark Twain (1901)
* “The laugh is always on the loser.” German proverb
* “The function of wisdom is discriminating between good and evil.” Cicero
* “Ethical axioms are found and tested not very differently from the axioms of science. Truth is what stands the test of experience.” Albert Einstein
* “The humblest citizen in all of the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.” William Jennings Bryan
* “We can act as if there were a God; feel as if we were free; consider nature as if she were full of special designs; lay plans as if we were to be immortal; and we find then that these words do make a genuine difference in our moral life.” William James
* “We must learn to distinguish morality from moralizing.” Henry Kissinger
Ethics is the science of morals, rightness and obligations in human affairs. Institutions must conduct many activities which impact their general welfare. Ethical issues go beyond nice rhetorics and must encompass duties, principles, values, processes, responsibilities and governing methodologies.
Companies who fail to address ethical issues of the day are endangered species. Whatever the public expects of companies, then those companies should expect the same of themselves.
Monique LaCour says
My dad always said, “Integrity is a test you CANNOT afford to fail!” He wanted to make it clear to us that you do the right thing for its own sake-always. You don’t do it because you think someone “important” is watching, but you really never know WHO is watching you and when you will cross paths with them or someone they know again. I’ve had people tell me, “I’ve never met you before, but I’ve heard good things about you.” I would start wondering who we both mutually know, then realize it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that someone was paying attention and whatever I did or said must have passed the test. It is a phrase I truly believe in and have passed on to my son. Thanks Dad!
Michael Bianchi says
I certainly cannot improve on Hank’s or Monique’s comments …. but here is what Proverbs 10:9 has to say: “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Nuff said for me!
Nancy Baker says
Thank you for writing about this. I agree whole heartedly! You have to do the right thing even when people are not watching. Whatever you sow, you will reap in due time!
Angel Marlow says
Well I so agree with you…Great article. Either this person has never won anything or maybe never gives anything to be won! I know how many times I wish I could put in 10 cards to win the big door prize, but oh how guilty I would feel if I won by cheating, Makes me think we tip the scales when a wrong is done. So the next stranger I encounter I will pay it forward and do something nice, in memory of the $
10 stolen gift cards!