I once heard & read these words from John Murray known as Mr. Wonderful: “My father was a man of true integrity. A lot of people misunderstand integrity because they think it simply means honesty. It does include that but it is a far, far bigger issue than just honesty. Integrity comes from the Latin word integer, meaning whole. It means it is altogether. When something is integrated, it is the filling in the pie; not a piece of the pie. That is integrity. When you begin to compartmentalize your life, you lack integrity.
When you say: this is my social life; this is my family life; this is my business life; this is my friend life; you have compartmentalized your life. Integrity means it is all integrated. In other words, what you see is what you get. The way you act with your family, is the way you act with your friends, is the way you act with your employees.
You don’t wear masks.
You are not a hypocrite.
You are not a phony.
You are, in fact, the real deal.
I find that a great many leaders; political leaders, business leaders and others are living a compartmentalized life. They lack integrity.When leaders lack integrity; it affects the entire business, it affects the entire organization.
My father’s life was a life of wholeness.”
Now I had the pleasure to have an interview with him starting with these questions:
1. Integrity. How do you define it in your own words?
Integrity is a word we hear throughout our lives. Integrity is one of the most misunderstood and misused words. Integrity is more than just being honest. Integrity also means steadiness of our actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Integrity is regarded as the truthfulness or accuracy of our actions. Integrity is the cure to self-interest.
2. Tell me about the lessons from your dad.
My father taught me many valuable lessons. He regarded that education is everything. If I wanted to achieve anything in my life, I could as long as I had a good education. He emphasized that life is all about learning. That seeking the truth would teach me more about myself, and the world, than anything else I could imagine. My father thought that independence comes with responsibility, and he allowed me to learn that the hard way. He understood that words matter, and that I should always write and say what I mean.
3. How do you keep a healthy balance in your life as a prominent businessman with two technology companies? How does the typical day looks like for Mr. Wonderful?
I’m a big believer in getting a good night’s sleep to start my day refreshed and energized. I avoid using an alarm clock and wake up early…naturally. I start my day with a healthy breakfast and read the day’s news to be aware of any events that will affect business. I like to schedule high-intensity meetings before noon to maximize their impact. It’s critical to prioritize the day in order to be most effective. I stay on schedule and keep moving through my priorities. Any priority item not completed goes to the top of the priority list the following day. In the evening, I like long walks to unwind and exercise.
BIOGRAPHY:
John Murray is an astute analytical big-picture thinker with proven ability to quickly assess business structures, identify areas for improvement and creatively craft “game-changing” strategies. Having successfully managed through tremendous financial hurdles for clients in the early 2000’s, he is proficient in aligning organizational goals and priorities around the ever-changing needs of the customers. As John says, “…most company executives and managers are too close to the problems to craft solutions that carve new paths to profitability…”. John’s experience in starting, growing and consulting with many businesses coupled with more than 30 years of sales & marketing talent has contributed to his ability to help his clients overcome many of today’s business challenges. John has worked with companies in diverse industries, both in the US and abroad. Much of his work focuses on helping leaders transform their strengths into wealth creation. He has been featured in mainstream media including The Huffington Post.