Why Integrity is Important

I attended a business networking meeting earlier today, at which a local CPA gave a ten minute presentation about her accounting and tax practice. It turned out to be a lesson in integrity. She described many unethical practices that she has witnessed over the 20 years of being in business, in addition to her prior 10 years as an IRS representative. In spite of client's desires to get a BIG tax refund, she is committed to operating within generally accepted accounting principles.

What was really unusual in a business setting of this nature is that she acknowledged her faith as the foundation of her moral convictions. She built her business on ethical standards and is reaping the benefits from that early decision. She gave me a sense of trust as a person I could do business with, should the opportunity arise. I don't recall meeting her at the prior couple of meetings I've attended, but today she made a lasting impression. Consequently, this month I decided to focus on this matter of integrity.

Salsa Dancing

Why is integrity important? Integrity is a virtue that demonstrates the quality of one's character. While morality is often associated with integrity, you can make a mistake, or hold "immoral" views, yet still act with integrity. Acting with integrity on some particularly important occasion will, philosophically speaking, always be explained in terms of broader features of a person's character and life.But, it is primarily a relationship that one has with oneself.

Why Integrity is Important

Integrity is important as business owners because it connects us in our actions with our clients, colleagues, suppliers and other relationships. What I believe is one of the most important by-products of integrity is the law of attraction. We attract into our lives the very things that we give away. If your truth is fairness and goodwill, then fairness and goodwill is what you will attract in return. On the other hand if your truth is manipulation and short cuts for improper gain, then you can expect to reap the fruit thereof.

As case in point: last summer when gas prices skyrocketed, my housekeeper decided that she needed to raise her rates. But the problem was that, not only did she intend to increase my rate by 100%, she slipped up and admitted that I was "one of the people" she had chosen as a "sacrificial lamb." After ten years of service, I fired her on the spot.

In these economically challenging times, remain true to who you are. Continue to operate your business with integrity and never take anyone for granted. Your words certainly are a reflection of your character, but your actions are a greater tell-tale sign of your fundamental moral compass. Whether you're doing business with a Fortune 500 company or and Mom and Pop store; a group of 1000 or 25, let the quality of your product or service be the same. Be mindful to keep your word and deliver on your promises.

Point to Ponder: The investments you make today will pay dividends in the future.

Why Integrity is Important

Important Facts About Dancing

Dancing has been around for probably as long as humans have walked upright. Dancing has been important to every human society throughout history. Read on for some fun and important facts about dancing.

1) Dancing appears to be innate - watch small children reacting to music - they start to move in time to the music. However some societies feature dance more than others which leads to some myths: such that all Hispanics can salsa for example!

Salsa Dancing

2) Dancing is great exercise for anyone of any age - you can dance at 2 or 102 - its truly a lifelong activity.

Important Facts About Dancing

3) The waltz was a shocking dance in its day. It only became acceptable in English society when the young Queen Victoria took to it with a passion. The shocking part was that the man and the woman danced facing each other - in an embrace almost (at the time the waltz was danced at arms length).

4) Modern ballet dancers have only been able to dance en point since the development of ballet shoe technology. Highland dancers also dance en point (mainly the men) and they do it in a soft shoe!

5) The development of modern rock and roll in the 1950's was considered the ruin of modern society by many parents at the time. So was the Charleston craze in the 1920's. History repeats!

6) The oldest ballroom dance is the Viennese Waltz - and yes it really did develop in Vienna. To this day you can go to Austria and dance in the Viennese ball season. But take classes first - they have standards and you will be asked to leave the floor if your dancing is not good enough.

7) You don't have to able to walk to dance - wheelchair dancing is popular particularly in Europe where ballroom and latin american dancing competitions have divisions for wheel chair bound dancers and able bodied partners, wheel chair and wheel chair dancers and many others variations.

8) Same sex ballroom dancing has become popular in Australia and New Zealand and features regular competitions in those countries.

9) New Vogue is a style of sequence dance that was developed in Australia in the early 1960s. Its based on ballroom technique and uses a fast waltz, foxtrot, tango and march times. Its largely replaced English Old Tyme dancing in Australasian dancesport competitions.

10) The TV show "Dancing with the Stars" has raised the profile of ballroom dancing in every country it has been shown in with many dance studios reporting an influx of pupils to dance classes.

Important Facts About Dancing