The last issue dealt almost entirely with moral courage as a characteristic. In this issue a few more characteristics will be addressed. 1. Integrity. This is a quality sorely lacking in most aspects of society today. Dishonesty appears to be an acceptable way of life. No one is shocked at the revelation of a crooked politician. It is almost accepted as a qualification for politics. Many people, while condemning dishonesty in politics, are not above cheating on their income tax or padding an expense account. Malingering on the job is stealing from the company.
How many people, if given too much change would bring the error to the attention of the cashier? What if the error was discovered at home? Would you return to the store? If honesty inconveniences you, is it too much trouble?
Obeying laws is not necessarily integrity. A bank robber, leaving the scene, always obeys the speed laws, not because he has integrity but because he does not want to draw attention to himself.
Webster defines integrity as “the state or quality of being complete, undivided, or unbroken.” Chiropractors deal with the integrity of the nervous system, keeping it complete, unbroken in its functional capacity, relative to the vertebral column. Integrity means more than honesty, although honesty is a big part of it. It means being complete and sound in what you say, and in what you think. The chiropractor who is a member of the Pivot is complete in his philosophy. His procedure is complete; it stays within a prescribed area. He does not attempt to venture out of that prescribed area into someone else’s domain.
Integrity also means moral soundness. It means not taking an insurance dollar that is not deserved. It means not overcharging a patient or an insurance company. It means not performing procedures that are not necessary. It is saying there are more important things in life than money and if I ,ÿ3 have to compromise what is right to make money, I will not do it. Integrity is really honesty permeating every part of your life. 2. Strength of Character. This characteristic is little understood. There is a difference between a strong personality and an individual who has strength of character. Some have both.
However, if there is a choice, strength of character is far superior. The world is full of strong personalities some good, some bad. The ability to sway people or attract them to your position has been a characteristic of many tyrants and dictators. That is how they first got into the position of power. An individual with strength of character is not necessarily outgoing or charismatic in his or her personality. Many of the strongest people in this profession have been the quiet, unassuming people who, day-in and day-out, are consistent, steadfast, and dependable. Others are attracted to these people because of these qualities not because of personality. They are the successful chiropractors that have built this profession. 3. The ability to see issues in black and white. In this day when so many people see everything in shades of gray, it is rare indeed to find people who not only see but think in terms of right and wrong and black and white. Even more vital is the ability to know when it is important and when it is not important to think in terms of absolutes. There are certain issues in our profession that necessitate taking a stand. These issues usually involve principles. There are other issues, usually involving the application of principles, which do not necessitate a fixed, immovable position. This can and should be left to the discretion of individuals.
To know which issues should be regarded as absolutes and which are not truly takes the “wisdom of Solomon.” That is a characteristic of a member of the Pivot. He is not hung up on techniques and office procedures. 4. The ability to conceptualize. This characteristic involves basing your actions upon concepts or groups of principles. There are many people who have principles and concepts firmly entrenched in their minds. However, their actions or their lifestyles have no relationship to those standards. All of us, at times, do not live and act according to our standards but for the most part we do.
Many in our profession have no philosophy, no standard or no basis for what they do. It always fascinates me how ,ÿ3 they can criticize someone who practices according to a philosophy, yet they practice according to every whim, that is, whatever is fashionable or whatever strikes them as being “scientific.” The ability to conceptualize is what B.J. referred to as the “anchored mind.”
These are a few of the characteristics of a member of the Pivot. It is this group of people who will preserve chiropractic if it is to be preserved. We had better begin to develop these characteristics and qualities in the members of our profession and in ourselves or we have not a hope of chiropractic surviving.
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