Sometimes the morality of "being a person of
integrity" gets in the way of integrity's workability.
So let's set the moral component of integrity aside for a moment.
From a performance
perspective, integrity means, "I do what I say . . . every time."
Integrity is based on honoring and keeping your word. That’s why Interstates
has defined integrity as "being honest and forthright in all our dealings." Honesty and integrity are two sides of the
same coin. Michael Hyatt puts it well: honesty
is making your words match reality; integrity
is making reality match your words.
In the workability sense, the Nazis had tremendous
integrity. They said "we will kill the Jews and create living space."
They went and did it at such a level that it took the rest of the world to stop
them.
There is little
integrity in the world. Doctors say they will see you at 11:00 a.m. A coworker
says he will have a report ready by noon. Government leaders say they will act
in the best interest of the country. But doctors have "waiting"
rooms, coworkers often disappoint us,
and government leaders act in their own best interest. This is not
always the case, but integrity is an all or nothing game.
Zig Ziglar said,
"The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is
integrity." Choosing to live in integrity is the greatest commitment you
can make to those around you. It is an essential value of high-performance
groups.
When you lead your
next project team, consider asking the people in your team to live in integrity
for the duration of the project. Set a rule that there are no small or big
promises; there are only promises, and all promises will be kept. You may stir
up a strong knee-jerk reaction--the invitation to live with integrity terrifies
people. It is not easy to be true to our word, but do you want to be involved
with a project in which deadlines become "guidelines" and meetings
start "around" nine o'clock?
In a high
performance culture, a "yes" means you're done. In a low performance
culture, getting a "yes" means you still need to follow-up, plead,
renegotiate, explain delays, postpone other projects, etc.
To lead others with
integrity requires you to embody and teach three skills:
- You must understand what you have been requested to give your word to.
- Say "yes" only when you mean it and are willing to act, even at personal cost.
- Get very good at saying "no," because that is going to be your most common response.
Integrity is the
source of trust. Trust enables intimacy with others. This gets us back to the
broader, moral perspective of integrity
that we simply cannot forget!
At Interstates, we build relationships through integrity. Leading
with integrity includes discerning what is right and what is wrong so that what
we do is best for the people we lead and serve. It also means avoiding the dark
side of integrity: holier-than-thou, rigid, pushing personal standards on
others, always saying exactly and completely what we think, etc. Our value then becomes a vice and we no longer build relationships.
Integrity is not
easy, but it is simple: do what you say. "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,'
and your 'No,' 'No'" (Matthew 5:37).
Where do you believe
we live and lead with integrity? Where
don't we?
Continue Leading the Interstates Way!
Doug Post
External sources: The Primes by Chris McGoff and Executive EQ by Robert Cooper
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