The Integrity Challenge

Introduction

This post is the twenty-eighth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series are:

This post is a challenge to all who read it:

The Integrity Challenge

Proposing thought-experiments, delivering quips, and submitting axioms is all well and good; but there comes a time when we all have to lay it on the line. The rubber must meet the road. Preaching ends and practice begins. The fiddler must be paid.

And so, twenty-eight posts into this series, I issue the following challenge to my faithful readers (both of you, counting Mom [Hi Mom!]):

For the remainder of January 2011, I challenge you to be utterly honest with yourself and those with whom you interact.

This includes those who make requests of you, those of whom you make requests, friends who IM, folks who call – everyone.

I’m not challenging you to be transparent (not yet anyway; that’ll come later). You do not have to tell them everything, but – if you accept this challenge – you do have to tell them enough so that the truth is communicated. If you decide to ditch an appointment because you learn of some more-fun-thing to do, you need to communicate that you’d rather do the more-fun-thing to the person expecting you to attend the less-fun-thing. If you accepted a side gig and a better-paying side gig appears, you need to communicate the truth to the person with whom you made the original agreement.

For a portion of one month, put the politics aside. You don’t have to be mean to be honest, so don’t be mean. Just be honest.

Conclusion

If you accept this challenge, you will learn things about yourself, your friends, and those with whom you interact.

Let me know how it goes!

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