What’s integrity worth to you? Is it a value you live by in business? Work life? With spouse and kids? Does it define who you are?
Let me up the ante: When you arrive at the crossroads of choosing between towing the line, or taking the higher road and doing the right thing (even when nobody’s looking), what then?
Albert Einstein once said, “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”
I admit it, if I said I was living in total integrity, I’d be lying. We’re human and flawed, we cut corners on the truth once in a while. However, staying true to yourself and your values, even when the results are unpopular, should be a non-negotiable.
The hardest part is that integrity is a choice we make, and it’s a choice we need to keep making till the day we die.
If living in integrity strikes your fancy, or perhaps you’re just now realizing your penchant to burn bridges, make enemies, or let people down is linked to a lack of integrity, character development is just around the corner.
Here’s what to do if you really want to experience an integrity make-over that will lead to breakthrough success.
Listen to your heart.
Leading with integrity means that you don’t question yourself. When you listen to your heart and do the right thing, you simplify your life and live in peace. Your actions are now open for everyone to see, and you don’t have to worry about hiding anything. As a leader, what is your heart telling you to do, or not to do?
Be accountable for your actions.
When leaders operate from integrity, they gain the trust of other people, especially those they work with closely. Others see them as dependable and accountable for their actions. Trust develops, people feel safe in their presence, and they gain influence with followers.
Live your values.
A leader who walks the talk — who embodies his values daily — shows the true hallmarks of moral authority and ethical leadership. These are role models that people gravitate toward because they command respect. People desire and long to see bosses who personify integrity through values of honesty, trust, and service. When leaders demonstrate integrity by walking their talk, their tribes will naturally gravitate to them out of respect and admiration.
Stop committing to more than you can handle.
Leaders with integrity know their boundaries — what they can and cannot do. If they don’t have the time, people or resources to follow through on their promises, they don’t take on that commitment. The voice of integrity, plain and simple, will have the foresight and courage to say “no” when your plate is too full. The flipside is what you don’t want: Failing to follow through on your commitments, and losing your people’s trus, because you took on way too much in the first place.
Walk in truth.
When leaders walk in integrity, their moral compass kicks in to discern between right and wrong, what is fair and just, and which path to take that will benefit people for the right reasons. Walking in truth doesn’t exploit, manipulate, or wrong others. As the wisest King in history once said, “Wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge [truth] will be pleasant to your soul.”
Be diligent with your work hours.
As a leader, working diligently during normal work hours exemplifies integrity. Too many chats around the water cooler, surfing Facebook and Twitter, taking two-hour lunches or taking way too many breaks for personal texting or to visit the snack machines detract from work time and it reflects poorly on leadership character. It also shows on their inability to steward time well.
Meet your deadlines.
Leaders with integrity schedule their work or personal life in a way that ensures adherence to specific deadlines. If, for whatever reason, they can’t meet a deadline, integrity in a leaders shows up in great communication with team members — notifying them of a delay, the reasons for it, and what steps he or she will take to make sure the project or task is completed.
So what’s your experience with integrity? How has your integrity been tested to the limit? Leave a comment.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.