The Importance of Integrity and Honesty



Are you able to communicate bad news to your boss? Do you confront difficult problems directly and promptly? Are you assertive enough to stand up for what you believe, even if it is not the popular position?

My company's Vision and Values says that our ethics are the sum of all the decisions each of us makes every day. That isn’t just about what you say, but what you do. This is important in our industry because everything we do is built on trust. It doesn’t happen with one transaction, in one day on the job or one quarter. It’s earned relationship by relationship.

In the book, Leadership Challenge, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner discuss beginning research thirty plus years ago on what team members expect of leaders. They started by surveying thousand of executives using a simple open ended question (“What values, personal traits, or characteristics do you look for and admire in a leader?”). They received several hundred different values, traits and characteristics. Independent judging coupled with empirical analysis enabled the content to be reduced to a list of twenty characteristics.

Characteristics of Admired Leaders

Ambitious
Cooperative
Fair minded
Independent
Mature
Broad Minded
Courageous
Forward Looking
Inspiring
Self Controlled
Caring
Dependable
Honest
Intelligent
Straightforward
Competent
Determined
Imaginative
Loyal
Supportive

This checklist was then distributed and respondents are asked to check the seven qualities that they “most look for and admire in a leader, someone whose direction they would willingly follow.” An interesting result is that since the early 80’s while every characteristic typically gets a vote, there are a handful that lead in votes time after time. They are: Honest, Forward Looking, Inspiring and Competent.

Of the four, honesty is reported as the characteristic that is chosen most. In fact, the study shows that it is the single most important factor in the leader—team member relationship. Not surprising, after all, we don’t want our leader to lie to us or deceive us. We want leaders who tell us the truth, even when the truth is hard to tell. Honesty is tightly bound to integrity. We want leaders who know right from wrong. We want to be led, not misled. We want victory, through hard work not through deceit. In the end, we want to work hard for someone who displays integrity and honesty and we know that through their role modeling, we are motivated to practice integrity and honesty.

Now, go back through the paragraph above and replace “we” with “I” and “us” to “me”. Making it personal affords for self reflection. And, admit it, we all want to work for, work with and be team members who practice integrity and honesty. A reward in doing so is having significant impact in your organization and living by the company’s values.

Here are some ideas that other leaders identified on how to display high integrity and honesty.


Find your voice by clarifying your personal values.
Avoid saying one thing and doing another. Remember to walk the talk!
Follow through on promises and commitments.
Lead by example. Model the core values! Convey an attitude of concern and caring.
Answer questions truthfully!
Don’t over promise.
Create and promote a culture of trust that contributes to the success of individuals, teams and the organization as a whole.
Don’t just act the part. Live YOUR legacy!
Stand up for your beliefs and convictions regardless of consequences.
Apologize when you make a mistake. Bleed integrity.


As you make integrity and honesty a focus, I would love to hear your successes or please share your experience at our next team meeting for shared learning.