Integrity – be honest in all you do, it is easier than trying to remember what you lied about! There is not a whole lot is new under the sun, ideas/scripts/processes are products of hashing and rehashing old ideas with new to create something that fits your needs. My favorite ASM scripts are based on Jeff Hunters scripts, he certainly writes better formatted SQL than I do and the scripts I based my ASM scripts on are very useful for me. Often plagiarism goes under the guise of “code reuse”, that is fine, but give credit where credit is due.
I have solved many problems for customers over the years, but try to never leave them without an understanding of what went on, how it was resolved and how it was fixed if at all possible and time permits. This is vital to to your client relationship and your own sense of self worth. There are times where a root cause analysis does not bare anything out, and you have to explain to a client or manager that the cause may be found, but it may be cost and time prohibitive. Be honest in all things you do, covering something up almost always involves digging your own grave. Having been on more than one forensic analysis teams, I have seen first hand what happens when someone either maliciously damages a system or damages it accidentally, and then tries to cover it up. It rarely works and the damage to your reputation can be permanent.