INTEGRITY, RESPECT AND TEAMWWORK
The Not So Secret Ingredients for Excellence
Mak Okay-Ikenegbu
Introduction
One of the most fundamental human needs is shelter, making the built environment essential to our lives and society. It is therefore fitting to use one of the built environment’s most ubiquitous materials, concrete, as an analogy for organisational excellence. Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in the world. Indeed, a March 2008 article published by Chemistry World described concrete as the single most widely used material on Earth. Its widespread use is unsurprising given its versatility, durability and strength.
At its most basic level, conventional concrete comprises three principal ingredients: cement, aggregate and water. Each performs a distinct function, yet it is their interaction that ultimately gives concrete its strength and usefulness. If concrete were to represent excellence within an organisation, these three ingredients could be likened to integrity, respect and teamwork:
- Integrity is the water that activates the process.
- Respect is the cement that binds people and principles together.
- Teamwork is the aggregate that gives the organisation substance, strength and efficiency.
Together, they form the foundation upon which excellence can be built.
Integrity, respect and teamwork are the not-so-secret ingredients for excellence.
Intergrity
Water is an essential component of concrete. When combined with cement, it initiates the chemical reaction that allows the cement paste to develop and ultimately harden. Without this process, the concrete cannot achieve the strength and durability required to withstand loads and pressures. In much the same way, integrity is fundamental to excellence within an organisation. Integrity is about being honest, transparent and consistent in what we say and do. It creates trust, builds confidence and establishes the foundation upon which effective relationships can develop.
Acting with integrity also requires an honest assessment of ourselves. This means recognising who we are, what we can do and, equally importantly, the limits of our skills, knowledge and experience. There is considerable strength in being able to say, “I don’t know,” “I need help,” or “this is outside my area of expertise.” Such honesty does not diminish an individual. Rather, it allows the right people, skills and resources to be brought together to achieve the best outcome.
Just as water initiates the process that allows concrete to develop its strength, integrity initiates the relationships of trust upon which organisational excellence depends.
Respect
The second ingredient in our analogy is cement. Britain is home to numerous islands, one of which is the Isle of Portland in Dorset, situated on the Jurassic Coast of the English Channel. Portland forms the southernmost point of that coastline and is connected to the mainland by Chesil Beach.
The name “Portland” is also familiar in the construction industry through Portland cement. It might reasonably be assumed that Portland cement originated on the Isle of Portland. There is, however, an interesting connection rather than a direct origin. Portland cement was invented and patented by Joseph Aspdin, a bricklayer from Leeds, Yorkshire, in 1824. A Leeds Civic Trust plaque installed in 1994 at Packhorse Yard, between Lands Lane and Briggate in Leeds, where Aspdin lived, records:
“Portland Cement, one of mankind’s most important manufactured materials, was patented by Joseph Aspdin, Leeds Bricklayer, on 21 October 1824…”
Aspdin named his invention “Portland cement” because, when set, it resembled the highly regarded Portland stone quarried on the Isle of Portland. Cement is the binding agent in concrete. It binds the other components together and helps transform a collection of separate materials into a single, cohesive and durable mass.
This provides a useful analogy for respect within an organisation. People are different. They have different personalities, backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, skills and ways of working. Those differences should not be viewed as obstacles to excellence. Properly understood and respected, they can become a source of strength. Respect means recognising the value of others, even when we do not agree with them. It means listening, being considerate and treating people with dignity. It also means recognising that our own perspective is not necessarily the only valid one.
Just as cement binds the constituent materials of concrete together, respect helps bind people together around a common purpose. Without it, even a group of highly capable individuals can struggle to function effectively.
Teamwork
The third ingredient is aggregate. Whether fine or coarse, aggregate forms a substantial proportion of concrete. It contributes to the material’s strength, stability and compactness, while also improving its cost-effectiveness by reducing the quantity of cement required for a given volume of concrete.
Aggregate therefore demonstrates an important principle: different components can perform different functions while contributing to the strength of the whole. The same is true of teamwork. Within an organisation, people possess different skills, knowledge, qualifications, experiences and levels of responsibility. Some may occupy highly specialised roles, while others provide essential support that is less visible but equally important.
It is tempting to think of certain roles as representing “fine” or “coarse” elements according to their perceived importance, seniority or level of attainment. However, such distinctions should never obscure the fact that every contribution has a purpose. A successful team is not one in which everyone possesses the same skills. It is one in which different skills complement one another. Teamwork therefore requires people to recognise that everyone has something to offer. It requires collaboration, communication and a willingness to support one another in pursuit of a shared objective.
Like aggregate within concrete, individuals may be different in size, shape and function, but it is their combination that contributes to the strength and effectiveness of the whole.
Bringing the Ingredients Together
Concrete is not simply a collection of cement, aggregate and water. Its strength comes from how those ingredients interact with one another. The same is true of organisational excellence.
- Integrity establishes trust.
- Respect creates an environment in which people can work constructively with one another.
- Teamwork brings different skills and perspectives together towards a common purpose.
Remove one of these ingredients and the organisation may struggle to achieve its full potential. An organisation can have highly talented people, but without integrity, trust can quickly disappear. It can have honest people, but without respect, relationships can become strained. It can have integrity and respect, but without teamwork, individual capability may remain fragmented rather than being harnessed towards a common goal.
Excellence therefore requires all three. It begins with individuals having the integrity to understand and acknowledge who they are, what they can do and where their limitations lie. It continues with respect for the differences, perspectives and contributions of others. And it reaches its full potential when individuals recognise that everyone has something to offer and are willing to collaborate to achieve a common objective.
Conclusion
The strongest concrete structures are not created by one ingredient acting alone. Their strength comes from the right ingredients working together in the right way. Organisations are no different. If we want to build organisations capable of achieving lasting excellence, we need people who act with integrity, treat others with respect and work together through teamwork. These may appear to be simple principles, but their impact can be profound.
Integrity: Excellence begins with honest individuals acknowledging who they are, what they can do and the limits of their skills, knowledge and experience.
Respect: Excellence grows when individuals recognise that everyone is different and treat others with consideration, dignity and respect.
Teamwork: Excellence is achieved when individuals recognise that everyone has something to offer and collaborate with others towards a common goal.
Integrity. Respect. Teamwork.
Three simple ingredients. One strong foundation for excellence.