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.

Celebrating Our Heroes

In 1954, when November 11th was officially named Veterans Day, President Dwight D. Eisenhower called upon all citizens to join hands in a common purpose – to “solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom.”

With Veteran’s Day a national holiday on November 11, many people don’t know that the United States Marine Corps Birthday is celebrated every year on November 10 (the official found date of the Continental Marines in 1775). This year, “Mother Green” is celebrating her 238 year birthday.

Celebrating the Marine Corps birthday and Veteran’s Day has always been personal to my family. Many of my family members have served in the armed forces (Uncle Mike, Uncle John and Randy) and two of my uncles were U.S. Marines. My Uncle Butch (Harry N. Rea) served in Vietnam and received two purple hearts and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. He also was a Marine Corp. Guard at the United States Embassy in Vienna, Austria. My Uncle Bobby (Robert A. Rea) also served as a Marine Combat Correspondent during the Vietnam War with Dale Dye and the Snuffies. They were amazing men and I regret that their lives ended before my boys could meet them and hear their stories.

As you honor our veterans this year, take time to thank a veteran. Also consider joining your local Veteran’s Team Member Network (TMN) or support active military through Soldier’s Angels (soldiersangels.org). As General Colin L. Powel, USA (Ret.) said, remember when you wake up on November 12, “it’s still Veterans Day for our veterans — and it will be every day of their lives.”

Thank you for letting me share,
Stacy

* Celebrating Our Heroes http://www.pbs.org/national-salute-to-veterans/home/
**Snuffies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weq3yda920

The Great Pumpkin

Pumpkin carving is a popular part of modern America’s Halloween celebration. Come October, pumpkins can be found everywhere in the country from doorsteps to dinner tables. Despite the widespread carving that goes on in this country every autumn, few Americans really know why or when the jack o ’lantern tradition began.

People have been making jack o’lanterns at Halloween for centuries. But what people don’t know is the practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink (hence his name?), so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross to prevent the devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for a year and he would never lay claim to Jack’s soul. A year passed and Jack was up to his trickery again. This time, he tricked the Devil by having him climb a tree for a piece of fruit. At the end, Jack walked away with ten years of not being bothered by the Devil. Unfortunately for Jack, he died. Legend says he was not able to go to Heaven nor Hell, and the Devil was so mad at Jack that he sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack o’lanterns.

Did You Know?

Pumpkins are fruits.

A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family.

The seed is edible and is a good source of protein, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Pumpkins have been grown in North America for five thousand years. They are indigenous to the western hemisphere.

In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of No. America, he reported finding “gros melons.” The name became “pompions,” which has evolved into the modern name pumpkins.

The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was 2,020 pounds (in 2005*).*Guinness Book of World Records
The story of Stingy Jack was pulled from http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history