“If you don’t stick to your values when they are being tested, they’re not values: they’re hobbies.” – Jon Stewart 

The great British writer, C. S. Lewis, said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” Looking at Briljent right now, I think about the ways our employees are showing our clients that we can still be counted on to do what is expected of us really well, even though we are not together. As much as ever, I’m proud to see people everywhere I turn living out Briljent’s core values, our NNIs, in spectacular ways.

Highlights 

• Impeccable Integrity is one of our non-negotiable items 
• C. S. Lewis, said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching” 
• Personal experiences shape our core values 
• When it counts most, we’re representing Briljent and our clients with integrity 

Introduction 

When I think about one of our Non-Negotiable Items (NNI), Impeccable Integrity, I think about how each member in our family of employees is doing right now. The great British writer, C. S. Lewis, said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” How true is this? Looking at Briljent right now, I think about the work that we are all doing to keep our projects under control, despite our new officemates (spouses, kids, pets) and despite the chaos and fear in the world around us. I think about people going the extra mile to help cover for team members who might be experiencing COVID-like symptoms. I think about the ways our employees are showing our clients that they can still count on us to do our job really well, even though they may not see us doing the hard work. 

Most folks claim to have integrity, yet we all know individuals who fall short when it comes to doing the right thing, especially when other choices are easier, are more convenient, give people more recognition, or promise quicker prosperity. The truth is, we’ve all had times in our lives when, deep down, we knew we didn’t make the right decision. 

Mom always knows! 

I learned from professionals (my parents!) when I was young just how important it was to me that people trust me. When I was in middle school, I wanted to see a movie that “everyone” was seeing, but my mom said “no.” I found a way to go anyway, as teenagers do, and somehow my mom knew (she always knew!) When she asked me about the movie I was supposed to have not gone to, I lied and made something up. I thought I had done a great job lying but apparently not. That night, when I went to say goodnight, my mom burst into tears (possibly even real ones) and asked if I was really going to keep up the façade. She never punished me, she just told me that she had lost trust in me and that I was going to have to work really hard to earn that back. It crushed me, and now, I’m pretty sure my mom is that angel on my shoulder reminding me to do the right thing. I can’t say I always listened when I was in high school and college, but I always heard that voice reminding me to value trust and integrity. As a younger professional, I learned that owning my mistakes and growing from them was the best path to earning the trust of my colleagues, managers, and clients. It’s not always easy to do, especially for mistakes that aren’t easily detected, but I have found that recognizing and owning my mistakes helps strengthen my relationships. We are not perfect and pretending we are does not serve anyone. 

Integrity, when it counts most

Trust and integrity are among my strongest guiding forces, probably because of that foundation my parents set. Hopefully we all learn from past mistakes and commit to always striving for impeccable integrity. Our non-negotiable items, our NNI’s, are the foundation for our recruitment, hiring, and recognition efforts. We remind our employees that we hired you because we saw something in you that demonstrated that you were that kind of person, too, guided by trust and integrity. 

So now, as much as ever, during these “uncertain” times, I’m proud to see people everywhere I turn living out Briljent’s core values, our NNIs, in spectacular ways. When it counts most, we’re representing Briljent and our clients with integrity, even when life is extremely stressful and our days are full of huge distractions, and yes, even when “no one is watching.” 

We’d love share more about our NNIs and hear the guiding values that direct your life—personal and professional—visit our Careers page to learn more.