The Transparency of Integrity
By Ivan D. Butts
NAPS National President
Hello, my NAPS brothers and sisters. I come to you this November unlike my normal Thanksgiving column heading into the Christmas season to talk to you about integrity. Looking back, my very first column in The Postal Supervisor over 18 years ago was on this same subject.
Merriam-Webster defines integrity as “1: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility, 2: an unimpaired condition: soundness, 3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness.” Integrity calls us as supervisors, managers and other managerial personnel, including postmasters, to be the very best version of ourselves as we lead employees in this mission of delivering America’s mail.
We have and continue to be called to this level of accountability in the face of, sometimes literally, higher-levels leaders who crave accolades, kudos and NPA scores. Or they may just not want to be on the radar more than demanding, under threat of your job, that you surrender your integrity to their will.
Dealing with pressure from supervisors or executives to do the wrong thing can be really challenging. Here are some strategies you might consider:
Remember, it’s important to prioritize your integrity and wellbeing in these situations.
There is one USPS ELM policy reference we must never forget if we are in situations where demands are made to do the wrong thing:
665.15 Obedience to Orders
“Employees must obey the instructions of their supervisors. If an employee has reason to question the propriety of a supervisor’s order, the individual must nevertheless carry out the order and may immediately file a protest in writing to the official in charge of the installation or may appeal through official channels.”
For supervisors, managers and other managerial personnel, including postmasters, “may” means
“must” if you want to maintain your integrity in the face of leadership who demands you to give up your integrity for their personal desires—not in your career’s or family’s best interest, no matter how much they threaten you.
The official channel of the USPS OIG is https://hotlineform.uspsoig.gov/en-US/Hotline. Always remember: Documentation is key.
In solidarity …
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