I am often asked what my 10 top rules of success are. While my answer sometimes seems vague, to this day it still remains the same. My first rule is "flawless integrity" and while you wrap your brain around that, you can throw away rules 2 through 10. Without integrity to stand as the resolute foundation of who you are and what you do, all the things you do and say in reference to the remaining 9 rules will collapse under an integrity deficient foundation.

Integrity is so often weakened on many levels, from the little white lie of the promise of a phone call never to be returned to the withholding of information and the last devious lie. Yes, these are considered minor infractions in most people's opinion, yet they can be compared to the small trickle of water that slowly erodes the foundation of your home. Drop by drop, lie by little lie, the erosion continues until you are forced to repair, tear out and rebuild or move away.

But where does this dangerous trickle lead to? Generally, it takes us in the direction of deceit and despair for many, all in the name of business.

We are reminded everyday on gangster movies when the line "Nothing personal Vinnie, it's just business." is used. This hypocrisy reigns supreme in the world of business and in my opinion, is one of the primary causes for the state of the world.

We walk a line of duplicity in business that needs to be monitored daily and in some cases hourly. We loose touch with our values and mistake deception for shrewdness, all the while patting ourselves on the back for a job well done. I see people justify their actions to ease their own conscious, many times to the point that they believe the fabrication themselves.

So you will come across this question on a daily basis, "Do I maintain my integrity in this matter or sacrifice my standards for this particular outcome?" While I believe there is just one answer, you may be surprised at the conversation you have with yourself while trying to answer the question. Then, the conversation that follows will most likely be that of justifying the first answer. To this I will say, if you find yourself justifying anything, your answer to the first question probably needs to be re-evaluated.

More than likely you will start noticing this duplicity in your colleagues and associates as well. This will cause a slight sting as you may need to decide how your relationship with them will progress from here. In most cases slight adjustments can be made that puts them or you in a different position to better effect the situation. Better yet, you can use your influence and begin a change in those around you. Small suggestions of what and how something should be said or done can be made without sacrificing your position.

This is a steady path that will lead you to a larger life than you can possibly imagine. It leads to long term steady relationships, both at work and at home. The first step, no matter how small is always the biggest.