truth
Who Tells Your Story?
Lance Armstrong is known as a cycling legend and for a few other things which we will get to in a minute. He won the Tour de France seven consecutive times. At just 25 years old, Lance was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes, lungs, brain, and abdomen. His chances for recovery were abysmal but with world class treatment, he recovered and returned to professional cycling.
The Livestrong Foundation was established in 1997 to provide support for people affected by cancer. It also issued those yellow rubber LIVESTRONG armbands that quickly became ubiquitous. Other charities and events saw the success and low cost of the armbands and they are still in use today around the globe.
If Lance had done nothing else besides being a champion cyclist and a head of the Livestrong Foundation, he would go down in history as a hero. But that is not the whole of his story. Dogged by doping scandals throughout his career, Lance denied ever being involved in doping. He had the ‘clean’ tests to prove it. In 2012, the US Anti-Doping Agency conducted an investigation that concluded that Lance had used performance enhancing drugs throughout his career. He was stripped of his titles, lost his endorsements, and removed from the Livestrong Foundation.
It was a staggering fall from grace. And everyone in the world knew it.
So, what’s next? Should Lance crawl under a rock and never find his way forward again? Is that the punishment for catastrophic failure?
Do we have an expectation that there is no redemption for people who have made bad decisions?
Most of us are fortunate to have avoided such public humiliation. But what about less well-known screw ups? Have you ever been downsized from your job? What about termination for cause – when you were clearly in the wrong? Should that make you unemployable? Forever?
Generally speaking, as potential employers, we make it difficult for prospective employees to tell us the truth. Fearful of lawsuits, former employers stick to the stats – dates of service, position, and salary.
These questions come to mind. Would we rather hear a pretty lie from an applicant instead of the ugly truth? Do we believe that people can learn from their mistakes? How will we know what they learned if we never make it safe to acknowledge what happened? How would you change your interview style to make truth telling safe?
Human beings are fallible. We are also in a constant state of learning and evolving. Maybe it is better to have someone on your team who knows how to learn from their mistakes instead of someone who believes they never make them.
What do you think? Are you scared to hire someone with a less than perfect career history? Share your wisdom with us!
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Multifamily Monday: Integrity
Remember the scene from Almost Famous where Penny and William talk about how old they are? It went like this:
Penny Lane: How old are you?
William Miller: Eighteen.
Penny Lane: Me too! How old are we really?
William Miller: Seventeen.
Penny Lane: Me too!
William Miller: Actually, Im sixteen.
Penny Lane: Me too. Isnt it funny?
The truth just sounds different.
William Miller: Im fifteen.
Truth Just Sounds Different
Here's a real-life example from a commercial eviction case in St. Louis: Our client had racked up $8,000 in legal fees without realizing it, focusing on the eviction rather than the cost. This is a reminder to keep track of expenses, especially when using someone else's money for legal action. It can be difficult, but honesty and transparency are crucial for finding the most liberating solution."
Moment of Truth
I received an invoice in the mail reading $5,000+/- so I picked up the phone and called our attorney. I think the conversation started with a loud "$5,000+/-??!! - Can you tell me how we racked up this much?" or, something to that effect. "Well, Mike, I hope you are setting down because the real number is $8,000, you just have part of the picture." Enter - fear and moment of truth. I had to tell my owner that I dropped $8k and after further discussion with my attorney - we had little to no chance of winning.
It Does Sound Different
Fear in tow, I entered his office and asked for a minute of his time. Clear throat - I dropped $8k on an attorney and we have no chance of winning the case. Long pause - (I was taught to never fill the silence with noise). He got up asked me to bring the whole package into the conference room. I did and he entered the room to review.
Fast forward, the owner says, "Consider this an $8,000 education for both you and me." I went silent and reflected for a minute - thinking I had maybe misquoted the amount lost. I was expecting much more of a tongue lashing (professional, of course) but much more intense. But, to him, it really was an education. And, for me in that moment - the truth just sounded different.
Never Hesitate
Honesty and Integrity - if we are all truthful with ourselves - is the hardest character related trait we will contend with. It's easy to misrepresent. It's easy to deflect. It's easy to avoid. Both Honesty and Integrity are hard work but they are the best work you will ever do. Do both today...
Your believing that the truth just sounds different multifamily maniac,
M