There are those who will do anything to get ahead. They will manipulate, politicize, gossip, lie, deceive, and trample over others on their way to the top. To these, people are merely a means to an end. They are not the end. Such thoughtless souls leave a trail of embittered and disillusioned people in their wake. They might achieve a higher position in the company or accumulate additional wealth, but their colleagues and associates despise them.
How much better to be the kind of person who knows they have done the right things, regardless of whether it advanced their career or gave them a competitive advantage. Such people know that moving up the corporate ladder is not the most important thing in their life. Having a clear conscience is of far greater value than having deceived someone in order to make another sale.
Integrity can seem like a cumbersome character trait when functioning in a competitive, challenging world. It can often seem that adjusting the truth, or embellishing the facts, is justified in the short term in order to make long-term gains. But it is a deception. Those who make such a bargain are forfeiting what really matters in their life for that which is as fleeting as the wind. Only a fool would make such a deal.