Integrity Always: Essential Skill for Effective Leadership

 Written by Charlotte Steel

Let’s put the spotlight on ‘Integrity’ for this week’s article. 

Integrity is a strong quality that requires a lot of conscientious care and respect in everything you do. It’s a fundamental quality that must be protected and it’s what often separates good leaders from great ones. Integrity shapes how you interact with people in your life and in your team, clients, suppliers and even yourself. 

Integrity isn't just about doing the right thing when someone is watching; it's about doing the right thing, period. It draws from your personal values and principles at all times.

In this article, we'll explore why integrity is crucial for leadership success, how to incorporate it in your daily actions, and provide actionable tips to nurture your integrity in both your professional and personal life.

Understanding Integrity as an Effective Leadership Skill

Integrity in leadership requires honesty, transparency, consistency, and accountability. It's about aligning your actions with your values and principles, even when faced with challenges or temptations. When leaders operate with integrity, they earn the trust and respect of their team, providing a culture of honesty and collaboration. Another positive is that integrity breeds authenticity and attracts loyal followers who are inspired by a leader's unwavering commitment to doing what's right.

But let’s not forget that we’re Human Beings and we’re not linear. Sometimes we slip up, we make mistakes, have moments of being disconnected from who we are - this damages our integrity. The key to recover and get back on track is to have a high level of self awareness to take accountability for our lapses, be honest and put it right. This could mean apologising to someone who has been caught in the lapse crossfire. We’ve all done it. Put it right, don’t punish yourself and move on. These moments add a new growth opportunity to your integrity. 

Actionable Daily Tips

1. Lead by Example: Demonstrate integrity in your actions, decisions, and interactions with others. Your team will mirror the behaviour they see in you.
2. Communicate Openly: Provide a culture of transparency by sharing information openly and honestly with your team. Avoid withholding crucial details or sugarcoating the truth.
3. Admit Mistakes: Nobody's perfect. When you make a mistake, big or small, own up to it, apologise if necessary, and take steps to rectify the situation. This shows humility and reinforces your commitment to integrity.
4. Your Word has to be Your Bond: If you say you’re going to do something, do it. If you say what matters to you is XY & Z, you must hold yourself in line with these values & principles. People can’t comfortably build a relationship with you if they aren’t certain of who you are. Your words and actions are vitally important. 

Free Tools

16personalities.com - I am a huge advocate of the importance of the relationship we have with ourselves; being in tune with our strengths, weaknesses and triggers. 

This tool will give you your personality type in 10 minutes along with a breakdown of your:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Relationships
• Friendships 
• Parenthood 
• Career Paths 
• Workplace Habits 

Take 10 minutes to build a stronger relationship with yourself. 

Next Steps

Integrity isn't just a desirable trait; it's essential for effective leadership in today's business landscape. As a business coach, I encourage you to prioritise integrity in your leadership journey. By embodying honesty, transparency, and accountability, you'll not only earn the trust and respect of your team but also provide a culture of integrity that drives long-term success. Our Leadership & Management course includes a module dedicated to Effective Leadership which includes Integrity. 

Remember, integrity always.