Integrity” is a word you hear almost every day, but it’s not a word that people

spend a lot of time thinking about. If you try to define it, what would you say?
According to the dictionary, integrity is "firm adherence to a code of especially
moral or artistic values." Put another way, the root of integrity is about doing
the right thing even when it’s not acknowledged by others, or convenient for
you. An individual with integrity is the antidote to self-interest. There are
countless examples of integrity in everyday life—and yet we seldom see some
of the examples highlighted below acted out in our daily lives:

1. Parents apologizing to their kids for over-punishing or yelling at them.

Like animals, small children make easy targets. They’re physically vulnerable
by size and stature, and they’re emotionally vulnerable because they don’t yet
have the cognitive capacity to understand the complexities of life. When
parents feel overwhelmed, it often follows that they snap at their children or
issue a too-harsh punishment. As a parent myself, I known how hard it can be,
but at the same time, I also know that delivering an apology to your child when
you’ve gone too far is something he or she deserves—and that it's an
absolute sign of integrity. Parents should set aside their pride and learn
to apologize more frequently.

2. Bosses highlighting their staffs’ accomplishments and downplaying their

own.

As a practicing psychologist, I hear some pretty extreme stories in my office.

Based on these tales, the percentage of managers or bosses who
are narcissistic, sadistic, or even sociopathic appears to be off the charts.
Wherever you have power, you’ll find someone nearby who’s gunning for it.
Yet the boss with integrity is a boss not because she or he wants to have
power over others, but because of being a natural leader who is good at
keeping things organized and who handles challenging situations with
dexterity. Simply put, bosses with integrity have no need for power because
they know they're good at what they do, and they also have insight into the
fact that they get better financial compensation than other workers. The good
boss makes a constant effort to appreciate a staff’s contribution and to give
them credit for a job well done. Sadly, you rarely see this kind of healthy,
appropriate behavior in the workplace. We desperately need more integrity
from bosses far and wide.

3. Romantic partners who boycott name-calling or other vicious behaviors.

Let’s admit it: There are infinite ways you can treat a romantic partner badly.
Every day, in couples old and new, wealthy and poor, men and women get
nasty with each other. At the most distorted end of the spectrum are
the physical and sexual abusers; at the other end are the name-callers and
angry, passive-aggressive types. (Infidelity is a complex issue appropriate for
separate analysis.) No psychological study will ever reveal the percentage of
relationships that include nasty, below-the-belt behavior. Yet there are
couples out there who fight but not never unfairly, who argue but stop short of
calling each other names. Those couples, which may have problems with
each other but still manage to show a level of humanity and kindness, are
composed of romantic partners who show integrity in everyday life. May we all
watch and learn from them.