Mayowa Babatunde Works to the Highest Standards of Integrity
Senior Business Development Manager Mayowa Babatunde, based at Lagos, Nigeria, works to the highest standards of Integrity every day, ensuring Bristow delivers on its commitments and serves clients with honor.
What does it mean to work with integrity?
Working with integrity means working within the guidelines of my value system and staying true to those values no matter the distraction or enticement. I work with a strong moral code and execute based on my convictions (which appear to be getting clearer and stronger as I age!). I believe we should all hold ourselves to high standards, especially in the workplace.
Why is working with integrity important to you?
Integrity was a fundamental part of my upbringing. My parents instilled integrity in me from the beginning. They taught me to incorporate these values into work and play – no matter what I’m doing, I must act with integrity and honesty. It isn’t always easy, I’m proud to live these values every day. They taught me that a good name is better than gold and silver, and that in a society plagued by a distorted and declining value system, you can still choose to do the right thing.
Whether I’m developing a proposal, looking for innovative ways to capture market share from the competition, volunteering to help people in need, or standing up for someone who doesn’t have a voice, I move with a strong conviction to do what is right by the value system handed down from my faith and my family.
Why is it important for Bristow employees to work with integrity?
Working with integrity builds trust, and trust builds relationships inside and outside the company. If we are working together with integrity, we are creating positive experiences for our clients and stakeholders. These positive experiences translate into respect for and trust in the brand. Not only is working with integrity the right thing to do, it helps us separate ourselves from the competition because our clients and stakeholders know that we deliver on our promises.
I remember an interaction I had with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) very early in my career with Bristow. The NCS was conducting a review of import duty payments on aircraft imported into the country. In one of my encounters with the head of the airport command, he specifically singled Bristow out for complying with the law and wishing other companies could borrow a leaf from Bristow. Comments like this make me #ProudToBeBristow!
Talk about a time that working with integrity paid off for you or the company.
One example I can recall is when we were bidding for a contract with an existing client. There was substantial external pressure from competitors trying to muscle in to get that piece of work. During a conversation with the client, he told me, “I can go to bed at night and sleep peacefully knowing that Bristow will ALWAYS do the right thing.” He was referring to our processes that we adhere to, the fact that we self-report when things do go wrong and invoice integrity. The fact that the client knows he can trust us – even in an extremely competitive market – shows that we have integrity and we are unwilling to compromise on our values.
What are some examples of opportunities you’ve had to demonstrate integrity?
When I was much younger and an usher in the church, on a particular Sunday after church service, the ushers gathered to record the financial contributions for the service. There were just two of us that day. When we were done counting, the senior usher asked me if I had any use for the money. His reasoning was that it wasn’t much, and we could just pocket it. I refused to share the money with him, I must have been about 18 years old when this happened. I eventually had to report the event. It would have been easy to pocket the money with no one ever knowing, but I couldn’t stray from the value my family and I place on integrity over money. I’m glad that I can remember that incident with pride rather than shame!
