First, a caveat: no one is perfect. Another: sometimes we have to fib a little. When someone asks you how they look, you dont say "terrible". Some other things can be left unsaid out of general politeness. Finally, there are many ways to politely disagree, or to pleasantly convey an otherwise negative message.

On the other hand, there are a wide variety of ways to be truly dishonest. The most common that I've seen in software is the sales-related empty promise. This zinger is theoretically in the interest of both the company and the salesperson, in that it (presumably) advances a sales cycle and gets the seller closer to his or her commission. The trouble doesn't kick in until the company has to deliver. In my experience, this variety of dishonesty is so commonplace throughout the software industry that it is a primary reason why I remain reluctant to hire salespeople. Another relatively common deception is inflating one's resume or claiming higher past compensation - self serving in the interest of getting a job in the first place, and then getting a higher salary. The trouble here begins when the person cannot do the job, and/or comes in overpaid. In both of these cases, a business relationship has been forged on a platform of deceit, which (as I'll explain later) is not a Good Way To Go.

A few other deceits worth mentioning: The CYA lie. Speaks for itself. Unfortunately common, based on perceived career preservation as well as the desire not to be wrong. Throwing blame around is a lesser version of the same thing. In my experience, even honest CYA is rarely a valuable exercise and is often harmful. There are also a hodgepodge of various lies of convenience that simply make it easier or more palatable to get through a conversation or situation. Finally, there is the seemingly irrational invention of stories or other random personal nonsense in order to make - I guess - oneself seem more interesting? A heck of a way to throw away your credibility, in my view.

So why did I just spend 2 paragraphs developing a catalog of lies, under the heading "Integrity and Honesty"? Mostly because I want everyone to recognize these things, recongnize them in themselves and others, and combat them. To really appreciate why honesty and integrity is important, we should understand why people sometimes depart from it, and also some consequences.

One consequence of dishonesty is that it doesnt make you feel very good about yourself, or your work. I suppose this feeling might fade after years of practice, but early on you'll know it when you feel it. Another is that you will surely be discovered at some point or another (yes, really) which will result in a loss of personal or even company credibility. Any long term business or employment relationships will be harmed or jeapordized. All of these consequences are fairly severe and can only really be avoided in a business where relationships dont matter very much. In our business, relationships matter very much.

So one reason to act with honesty and integrity is to avoid the above named consequences. Another superb reason is that honesty and integrity are what you would expect and demand from others. As a general rule, I think that a person ought to treat others as much as possible the same way they would like to be treated. OK - thats more or less the golden rule, I admit it - but here is Ed's corollary to the golden rule: you also ought to *expect* to be treated in the same way that you treat others. If you are honest, you should expect honesty. If you lie, expect lies.

If every other reason is not enough to inspire integrity, I will offer my pet theory of business and personal socialization: In the long run, people of integrity will only associate with other people of integrity. Cheats will only [be able to] hang out with other cheats. In the short run, there may always be people around that you can fool - newcomers to your business or personal territory. Before long, however, even the rookies will decide their own path of integrity, at which point they will stay or go (or be ejected) from either group. People of integrity, or cheats, which world do you want to live in?

There are many reasons why people stray from honesty and integrity, some I can sympathize with and some I cant. Intense pressure or fear of dire consequences tend to be some of the most compelling causes. Sometimes, these are the most critical times to be proactively honest: if a project is behind schedule, or scope is creeping out of control, or difficult prioritization or resourcing decisions need to be made. Customers or management need full and accurate information in order to make their own best decisions, and potentially to send status up their own chains of command. In the end, acting with honesty and integrity is almost always the best path - even when it is painful. Life is short. Be brave.

Ed

ps: I must add, lest anyone misinterpret my message, that we are truly blessed at TS to have a group which is overwhelmingly honest and which routinely acts with high levels of integrity.