Integrity

We are constantly inundated with stories that vilify the business leaders and their shady tactics. We hear story after story about wall-street “fat cats” duping grandma and grandpa out of their hard-earned pension funds. I question how much of this is the norm, or if it just makes for a compelling journalistic story.

I recently had an experience that helped restore my faith… at least in the rising generation of business leaders. I was recently running a business plan competition that had a $500 purse. That is a lot of Top Ramen for any poor college student. We had invited local business leaders to be guest judges for the event.

Just before the event was about to begin, on of the participants met eyes with one of the judges and then walked over and greeted him. They talked for a few minutes, and then the participant walked back over to me and told me that he was going to withdraw from the competition.

The participant (I am not using his name on purpose) told me that the judge was a former business partner, and wanted to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. I was completely floored. I could not believe what I was hearing.

I was so impressed. This student could have participated (and most likely could have won) and not told a single soul about his past relationship with the judge. He gained a lot of credit in my book, and in the book of many of the other business leaders in attendance, which could be worth much more than $500.