How does honesty pay you in the long run?

Honesty pays you in the long run. Why so? If you read the post, you will also feel it. The post narrates an incident and shows how it pays in the long run.

“In the long run, I believe that honesty is the best policy. One can get away by being dishonest for the short-term, but ultimately, honesty is what pays.”

-Kapil Dev.

How does it pay? It not only breeds trust, respect, and dignity but also pays in the long run. Let me explain it here.

The incident

Asansol Ramakrishna Mission School had declared the results of the Second Terminal Examination. Like every year, the class teacher gave the answer sheets to the guardians for scrutiny. Then, the teacher said, “Please, check the answer sheet, add the marks and point out the mistakes in the total, if any.”

When my wife checked the answer sheets of my elder son, she found out the error in the sum of marks on the geography. What was the mistake? His score had increased by ten marks due to the wrong addition. So she quickly pointed it out to the class teacher. He then informed the headmaster at once. Then The Headmaster came to the class and said, “We did not see the parents like you earlier. Most of the parents would not point out the mistake at all. We are happy that you are guiding your son properly. So, to reward your honesty, we are not deducting the total score of your son.”

Since then, The Head Maharaj not only listened to us but also grant leave of my son as and when required on any pretty family occasion. What was the reason? He believed that we could not tell lies.

Analysis

As my wife believed in honesty and integrity, she spoke the truth and pointed out the error in total marks of geography. If she did not point out the error, nobody could know the real scores of my son.

As she believed in honesty, respect for the teachers, and justice for the parents and the students, so she did not hide the fact. Instead, she pointed out the mistake. In other words, she treated all of them with dignity and respect and a proper sense of justice.

Moreover, it had shown her honest approach towards other students, guardians, teachers, and my son. She did not want her son to score more dishonestly. If she was not truthful, how could she expect her son to be honest?

She firmly believed the saying of Benjamin Franklin, “Honesty is the best policy.” Honesty breeds trust, where trust helps to build a relationship. Her honest approach moved The Head Maharaj. So, finally, he did not deduct the marks of my son. This way, he inspired other guardians also to follow the path of honesty.

Messages of honesty my wife gave

My wife behaved like an ethical leader. Let me tell you how? She led by example. She sent the message to other guardians silently, ” I speak the truth. Why don’t  you follow me?”; the message to my son ” I speak the truth, So I expect you too to speak the truth.”; the message to the teachers and The Head Maharaj, “I speak the truth, so you can trust me and my family.”

To put it differently, she walked the talk. As a result, other guardians and my son also got the right message. They all came to know that honesty is the best policy. Do you want to know why? Then please go to the link – https://brightside.me/inspiration-psychology/why-honesty-is-always-the-best-policy-150505/.

Action steps: Honesty is the best policy

• Trust others.
• Show respect to others
• Treat others with dignity and respect
• Always have a sense of justice
• Be ethical.
• Walk the talk.
• Practice “honesty is the best policy.”
• Live a fabulous life.