When Integrity Becomes a Way of Life: Lessons from Simon Simoudis

You are seen as dependable when your actions have been consistent for a long time and when you meet others’ expectations every time. Simon Simoudis, too, had earned the trust of people the hard way. Since his childhood, he has been seen as someone eager to do anything for anyone in the community. Whether it was his friends, his classmates, or his elders, he was there for everyone, even for people he didn’t know. And he has been consistent; no one remembers an instance when he has turned his back on someone who needed him. 

He carried the same trustworthiness and consistency to his profession. Once, he was repairing a handcrafted wardrobe for an elderly couple in our town. That wardrobe was old but had great sentimental value to the couple. Once Simon dismantled the wardrobe, he realized the wood from the inside was crumbling. He could have easily done the repair work on the visible parts, taken his contract money, and departed. Yes, the work had a fixed contract money, and Simon would get that fixed amount no matter how much time he put in.

But Simon Simoudis doesn’t work that way. His conscience wouldn’t allow him to fool anyone. He stopped work and informed the couple about the situation. They were surprised by his honesty and even insisted it wasn’t necessary. But Simon wanted the work to be completed in the best possible way; he wanted the furniture to be long-lasting. He told the couple that he wouldn’t charge anything extra. And that work took Simon two more days, but he didn’t mind a bit. He was happy that his work was perfectly done. Even today, after so many years have passed, that elderly couple still recommends Simon for work. 

Making money has never been Simon Simoudis’s top priority. Once there were floods in our town, and Simon was among the first to volunteer. Apart from helping the community in any way he could, he even repaired their damaged furniture free of cost. When they offered him money for the furniture, Simon refused. He felt these people were already under lots of stress and had suffered losses, and it didn’t feel appropriate to charge them for his services. Years later, they still thank Simon for his help when they were vulnerable.

For Simon Simoudis, dependability and selflessness are not a strategy; they are what he really is. These are values he inherited from his family, and they became a part of him. Wherever he goes, whatever he does, these values go with him.