| "Hurry, scurry, worry, work" President Truman sighed | | | | They decided that the Holy Grail was the ultimate in |
| during the during the MacArthur crisis. He concluded "I | | | | good, bigger, and best. It would bring peace and |
| guess that is the way it is.1" That was the way it is | | | | prosperity not only to its finder but to the whole |
| and even if many feel it is the way it is today, it is | | | | land. |
| not the way it will be in the future for people and | | | | One by one, they each left the comfort of the |
| organizations with integrity! | | | | castle and entered the woods. What was astonishing |
| Harry S. Truman, according to David McCullough | | | | was that each left alone and each entered the forest |
| inTruman first read this quote, written by Reuben | | | | in a different place. Each one of them had to find |
| Anderson for General Glen Edgerton, during his | | | | their own way to the Holy Grail. The way of the |
| supervision of the White House reconstruction in | | | | herd is okay but the way to the Holy Grail is ours |
| 1951. | | | | alone. |
| Truman spoke these words during a time of fear and | | | | I can hear the words now - been there, heard that, |
| uncertainty in a nation that was still licking its wounds | | | | doesn't work here. Hurry, scurry, worry, work is the |
| from World War II. The United States was rocked | | | | way of the world. Accept what is, as it is. Be happy! |
| internally by McCarthyism, the threat of the Russian | | | | That's good advice but there is more. |
| nuclear bomb in Europe and the potential for World | | | | Most people correctly conclude that integrity is a |
| War III in Korea. | | | | personal virtue but the idea has so much more to |
| Words with truth stand the test of time. Over 50 | | | | offer. It applies to systems, processes and |
| years later the world is still hurry, scurry, worry, | | | | performance. A data system has integrity if the |
| work but now we have to do more with less. The | | | | information is untainted. A process has integrity if it is |
| advent of global competition, changing world politics, | | | | efficient and effective. Performance has integrity if |
| the population explosion and technology have made | | | | the ends and the means are integrated. |
| the world a place where "hurry, scurry, worry, work" | | | | "Hurry, scurry" means go here and there quickly. This |
| is not enough to keep you employed. | | | | is a sign that systems are broken and chaos rules the |
| The faster we go, the more we need precise and | | | | day. The secret to making order out of chaos is |
| credible time based information in order to make | | | | standardization. Disney knows that and so does |
| accurate decisions that reduce the worry of how | | | | Wal-Mart. |
| career investments will improve the safety and | | | | "Worry, work" means that people are concerned |
| quality of our lives. We engage in a relentless | | | | about work based results. This is a sign that |
| exploration of changing ideas such as: management | | | | organizational decision making and problem solving |
| fads, Andy Warhol's 15 minutes of fame, live long and | | | | processes that determine actions may be broken. |
| prosper medical/ financial techniques and/or instant | | | | People have no confidence that their actions will lead |
| enlightenment in eight easy steps. | | | | to the results they need. |
| We pursue our life style with confidence that | | | | Integrity is also a personal way of life. It is defined as |
| because if everyone else is doing it, it must be okay. | | | | wholeness, consistency and purity. |
| Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, we | | | | The way of integrity balances work and family life. |
| seek solace in the herd. There is safety in numbers | | | | The way of integrity requires consistent adjustment |
| yet we still do not want to be part of the herd all | | | | so that sound financial, physical and social support |
| the time. So we differentiate ourselves in the | | | | systems can be structured and relied on. The way of |
| diversity of materialism, intellectualism, recreation and | | | | integrity requires objectivity in a scientific approach to |
| trends in fashion, entertainment, or music. It is all | | | | decision making and problem solving. |
| good. | | | | Each one of us needs to find our own way to the |
| The problem is that it is just not good enough. There | | | | Holy Grail. It is not the way of the herd. It requires |
| is never enough! We are driven to not only seek | | | | you enter the forest in your way at your time. It |
| more good but to have it bigger, and better than it | | | | feels right and it is worth it to you and to you alone. |
| ever was. | | | | It is the ultimate answer to "what's in it for me. |
| King Arthur and his knights had the same problem. | | | | |