Professional Integrity, Behaviors and Leadership

I once worked with an organization whose value system comprised of just three words, “Integrity. Transparency. Trust.”

Simple definition of integrity is that your thoughts, words and deeds are congruent with each other. You keep your commitments and do what you say you will. It is about living by your words and practicing what you preach.

For leaders, there is no other way to operate than to remain integral. Integrity of a leader defines integrity of a team. A leader cannot expect others to remain integral in their dealings when they are busy doing the opposite.

Yet, workplaces today are filled with behaviors that demonstrate lack of integrity. Have you noticed these patterns?

• Saying something in public to create a goodwill and then doing exactly opposite when it comes to actual decision making.
• Preaching processes or values and not living those.
• Dishing out different versions of a story to different individuals.
• Saying something without an intent (just for the sake of saying)
• Having a process that is diametrically opposite to your value system.
• Re-scheduling one’s agreements (meetings, deliveries etc) at the last moment.
• Not meeting one’s agreements (meetings, deliveries) and not informing at all.
• Upon making a mistake, knowing the impacts and not communicating it (assuming that people won’t come to know about it anyway).
• Not speaking up about important and unpopular issues, just because everyone else remains silent.
• Knowing that you (as a leader) are responsible for all outcomes, and still blaming others for failures.
• Incorrect reporting of facts to hide your inefficiencies.
• Treating different people differently only because of perceived short term gains.

If you are a leader/manager, here is the word of caution: Team members tend to perceive the congruence between a leader’s words and deeds by keen observation. This perception directly impacts their job satisfaction, commitment and trust in the organization.

Key questions then are:

• As a business leader, what are you doing today to ensure that a) You are integral b) Everyone in the organization understands the importance of being integral.
• Are you setting right examples for your people by rewarding behaviors that demonstrate integrity and punishing non-integral ones (even if it adversely impacts your business in the short term)?
• Are you noticing behaviors within your teams that demonstrate integrity? More importantly, do you acknowledge and appreciate it in public?

Time to introspect! Have a wonderful start into the week.