The misconceptions around integrity

Rethinking integrity: What exactly is it and how is it misunderstood?

Have you ever looked at a leader - a public figure of some sort - and wondered how on did they make that decision? What on earth were they thinking at the time? I do, often. It can be hard to keep our values aligned with our choices and behaviours, especially when we’re under stress and pressure. But to lead with trust, it’s a must.

We’ve all come across multiple lists of the most important leadership qualities and skills, many of which focus on “softer skills” such as empathy and vulnerability. But if I had to pick the most important trait when it comes to earning trust as a leader, integrity wins hands down.

This week, I’m at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The theme is ‘Rebuilding Trust’ -  a great theme, if I may say so, for a forum where pressing world issues are discussed. I hope the idea of leading with integrity will come up a lot.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a world leader, leading a local charity, a football team, a family, or a global company; everything starts and ends with integrity. In this week’s Rethink newsletter, we are busting some common misconceptions about integrity so you can put this essential value into practice to earn trust. Read on below.

So, what is integrity?

Integrity comes from the Latin word “integer,” which means whole and complete. I love the idea of trying to find wholeness in our values, decisions and behaviours.

There is one word that can help us to practice integrity and achieve this kind of wholeness: alignment.

Alignment plays out in several ways in our lives:

• Do my words align with my actions?

• Do my values align with how I live my life?

• Do my promises align with my commitments?

And the BIG one…

• Do my intentions and interests align with those of my team, customer, client, or partner?

These questions are a powerful compass to guide what we decide to do — but more importantly, not to do.

What are some common misconceptions about integrity?

• It’s a fixed attribute: Can you have integrity? Viewing integrity as a practice versus part of who you are is more helpful. A values-driven lens we can apply to making daily decisions, large and small.

• It’s about always doing the “right thing”.: The right thing is not always simple or obvious. It often requires time and discernment. Plus, there can be multiple “rights.”

• It’s about strong values and conviction: Sometimes, the strength of our beliefs is what gets in the way of sound decisions. Integrity requires the humility to constantly question our beliefs, answers and assumptions.

• It requires strictly moral behaviour: If you’re honest and upfront about your intentions, and the other relevant party accepts them, does it matter if they’re a little shoddy?

Why is integrity so essential to trust?

If you look at situations where trust breaks down, the root cause is often misalignment.

• The company’s business model, how they make money, seems misaligned with the customers’ best interests.

• The club, association, company, or political party’s short-term interests are misaligned with the long-term greater good.

• The leaders’ personal interests are misaligned with what the team or organization really needs.

Trust issues happen and can be repaired, but the one thing we find hard to forgive or forget are decisions that lack integrity. Why? Because we remember how a breach of integrity made us feel.

If integrity is so important, why are breaches so common?

Look across every sector of society, from politics to sport, business to science, and you’ll find integrity breaches everywhere. But why do people make these damaging choices?

• We think of the decision as a one-off: “This is different” or “Next time will be different” is a familiar story we tell ourselves.

• We blame others: It’s so easy to point the finger and find fault with others, but ignore or miss it when we make similar failings. Especially if we think we “have integrity.”

• The best intentions can get lost at scale: I’ve seen many entrepreneurs start out with the very best intentions to make something better. Then,  the company starts growing fast, receiving media attention and venture funding. The pressure suddenly mounts to make money. It requires courage to give up short-term quick or easy wins to protect the long-term value of integrity.

• We think nobody will find out: If the goal is achieved, then only those who are a part of those conversations will know what happened behind-the-scenes, and therefore your reputation for having integrity is maintained. 

To practice integrity, know what you stand for and where you’re headed. You need to write down and be clear on your values and interests. Then, let integrity guide your choices. It’s a powerful trust compass.

Qu for you: Keeping this fundamental leadership skill in mind, can you reflect on a moment when your intentions and interests weren’t aligned with those of a colleague or customer? If you could go back, what would you do differently?

Warmly,