How does one profit finacially , or otherwise benefit, from Integrity?

The first part of your question is about the financial benefits of integrity, so I’ll begin with that. Someone who’s honest in business will avoid the legal pitfalls of duplicity, both civil wrongs and crimes. The individual will also earn a good reputation – the long-term respect and loyalty of customers, vendors, colleagues, and even competitors.

Beyond the financial rewards of integrity, following a moral compass achieves a sense of wholeness and satisfaction. Think good thoughts, and repeat good behavior, and you’ll feel complete. Inevitably, it follows that you’ll build trust, have worthwhile relationships, and enrich your own life.

Because honesty is always the best policy. People see that you can be trusted so they bring their business to you.

^Depends on the good,or service. McDonald’s is renowned for terrible quality, and terrible service. But they sell burgers starting at a dollar. Cost is clearly the biggest factor there.

Maybe as a mechanic, integrity would help. I know it keeps me coming back to the same shop.

Honestly, I think integrity will get most people nowhere…

In any job, a reputation for honesty, consistency, thoroughness, and dependability will pay off. It makes working with you easier, faster, and cheaper. People will think of you when they have work for hire. People will do favors for you.

^That hasn’t been my personal experience. I consider integrity an asset. But, look at the most successful people. How much integrity do you think Trump has? Or any millionaire/billionaire? Putin? Kim? Assad? Castro? Hitler? I could go on. Obama seemed to be one of the more ethical world leaders. People are still blaming him for everything, and the current administration will all but wipe away everything he accomplished, despite fighting the deplorable GOP…

What about the Patriots (NFL) ? Their coach was named coach of the year, the same year he was convicted of cheating, and punished. Tom Brady is allowed to keep all his rings, despite also being convicted of cheating, and being suspended.

One of my former heroes, Mike Tyson, was on crack during some of his most important fights.

Lance Armstrong anyone?

Integrity seems more like an obstacle to success, in the real world. In the real world, the bad guys win….

I don’t think of Trump, for one, as a successful person. I don’t measure all things by money. He’s a world laughingstock with miserable family life. Nobody hangs out with because they enjoy his company, he pays for their time, or they hope he will.

And the people at the top that you mention are what? 0.001% of the population? (I am guessing, not doing the actual math)

For the vast majority of the population, integrity counts.

If you are following your own beliefs, my condolences. Enjoy the scorn decent people and your reputation as an asshole.

^As I said. I am not opposed to integrity. But there is reality to consider. The people that I mentioned are indeed a small portion of the overall population. But their effect on the majority of the population, cannot be overstated. Cheating, stealing, manipulation, murder, genocide etc. That’s how you get to the top. I’m glad you don’t measure success by money. But the question is specifically about financial success.

Sorry you think I’m an asshole, for pointing out my observations. I don’t think you are, for your opinions…

The question is about benefiting financially or otherwise.

I didn’t say you were an asshole for observing, I am saying you will be known as an asshole if you follow your own advice.

So as an experiment, go open a small business, run it without integrity, and see how far that takes you. Building contractor, hair salon, dry cleaner, restaurant, corner store, landscaping, whatever, pick one.

Cheat your customers and employees, stiff your suppliers. Water down the product, cut corners on quality, don’t return phone calls.

You’ll he a huge success, right?

^That’s the model, for almost all giant corporations. I’ve been part of a few, and know people in management in several big box sporting goods stores.
Most of these corporations, are doing quite well. They screw all associates, and customers, and only reward management up.

Again. I’m not endorsing the behavior…

I’m not offering advice. I’m offering observation.

@Call_Me_Jay That sounds like the business model for most health insurance companies, many large hospital chains, Walmart, and countless other big corporations.

Even if your broad brush sneering were true (it’s not), it’s not any kind of argument.

You’re defining success as “being a large corporation” or being one of the handful of people at the top you recognize from TV. So you’re defining the 99.99% as losers.

So you believe no plumber is a success. No clergy, no dentists, no attorneys, no artists, no musicians, no engineers, no chefs. All shop owners and small manufacturers are failures. HVAC people are losers. College professors and K-12 teachers are wasting their lives. Museum curators, military people, nurses, auto mechanics, industrial designers, and electricians might as well kill themselves now.

Yep, they cannot succeed. Impossible. Thanks for letting us know.

Enjoy your seething resentment. That’s sure to take you far.

@all I just finished reading why “A” students work for “C” students. I liked it. Basically that passive income is better than hourly income. Feel free to recommend other books.

@Call_Me_Jay . I’m not sure why you’re so upset about an observation.

I’m also not sure why you are saying that I am calling everyone who isn’t a billionaire a loser. I think you’re blowing things out of proportion.

You say integrity is an obstacle to success. I pointed out people in common professions can’t get by without integrity

And you can’t recognize that. You push back harder, with the ridiculous claim that all companies screw all employees and all customers.

Yeah, I’m not the one blowing things out of proportion.

I’m not pushing back. I’m defending my position. Your suggestion that people “can’t get by without integrity, ” is completely indefensible. You must see that…

Following your dream and doing something you love is the highest form of success.
Living that way is not about success but about happiness and comfort. Some people turn it into financial, but their sustaining belief is to live authentically.

^I agree with most of that.