“I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and message.”

The removal of Yahoo’s CEO is a front page news story because once again, we see a senior executive not telling the truth.  And we wonder why we don’t trust CEOs and companies?  I know the process of hiring a senior executive very well and in this case there were many misses that could have been easily avoided had everyone from the candidate, to the recruiting agency, to internal HR team who might have been working with the Board, whoever had responsibility for the background check, and of course, the Board itself and whoever was leading the search committee.  Wow, this story just goes to show the magnification of making a mistake but it also points to the importance of ensuring integrity is the backbone of the values and principles of a company.  Beyond the “miss”, there was also the long days from the time of disclosure that it took the Board to make the decision to oust the CEO.  For many, that was just as troubling as missing that he has falsified his education credentials.  The fact that there was some debate over his removal could also be seen as a sign of integrity not being a foundational value of the company.  Let’s consider and realize that this moment is one that should remind us that who we say we are and what we do are significantly intertwined and are being watched my many.

This lesson stands true in our own professional and personal lives as well. Paul tells us that he had real, legitimate and accountable feats to boast about but in the likeness of Jesus, he chose not to do so and instead wanted to be sure that the congruity between who he said he was and what he did was as flawless as a man could make it to be. It is a great lesson for each of us as there are many moments a day when we have the opportunity to inflate a story, or build up just a little our part in the effort, or position ourselves slightly in better light than others.  Let’s check ourselves today and do our own background check to be sure that we are aren’t allowing ourselves to think more highly of who we are than what others can see.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 12:6b (New Living Testament)