Embracing Authentic Integrity
Self-Assessment: Embracing Authentic Integrity
Please take a few moments to answer the following self-reflection questions. Where can you identify opportunities for personal growth in your leadership?
Do I consistently honor my promises and commitments?
Can others depend on me to be reliable and trustworthy?
Am I transparent and honest in my communication, even when delivering difficult truths?
Do I take responsibility for my actions and openly acknowledge my mistakes?
Are my decisions and behaviors consistently aligned with my core values?
Do I serve as a role model of integrity and ethical conduct for my team?
Do I regularly evaluate my actions and seek feedback to strengthen my integrity?
Do I uphold my integrity when faced with pressure or challenging situations?
Remember, this self-assessment is just a starting point for understanding Trust as a leader. It's essential to reflect on your responses and actively work on areas where improvement is needed. Additionally, seeking feedback from others and working with your ECFL Leadership Coach can provide valuable insights into your emotional intelligence strengths and weaknesses.
“Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet—thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing—consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.”
Being authentic means being genuine and above reproach. Integrity involves honesty and strong moral principles. Together, authentic integrity simply means undisputed honesty. For a leader striving to build a strong culture of trust, committing to this quality is essential.
In leadership, authentic integrity means aligning your actions, words, and values. Simply put, it means practicing honesty in all that you do—in every interaction and decision. When you stay true to yourself and your principles, you cultivate trust and respect throughout your organization.
Authentic integrity is non-negotiable for leaders. It forms the foundation upon which respect is earned, trust is built, and loyalty is returned. For leaders, embracing authentic integrity is especially critical, as their actions directly influence the daily operations and ethical behavior of their teams. By committing to honesty and strong moral principles, leaders set the standard for a culture of accountability and mutual respect.
Integrity requires honesty and a consistent upholding of strong moral and ethical values.
To better understand the influence of leadership on ethics and honesty, we can examine data from research shared by Harvard Business Review. The study, which analyzed data from 5,268 leaders across five organizations, categorized leaders by their management levels (e.g., top management, middle management, and lower-level management). The findings, based on 360-degree performance assessments, revealed a clear trend: ratings of honesty and integrity consistently declined at each successive management level, with significant variations between the highest- and lowest-rated organizations.
Two key points stand out from this study: first, managers often overestimate their own integrity, and second, they tend to assume higher levels of integrity in their direct reports than those direct reports perceive in themselves. The main takeaway for leaders is that self-assessments of integrity are often unreliable, and integrity should never be taken for granted. Similarly, effectiveness should not be conflated with honesty; employees should not receive undue leniency based solely on productivity or seniority. Instead, leaders must intentionally communicate expectations of honesty, establish systems to uphold integrity, and reflect on their own ethical standards to ensure these values are consistently exemplified and reinforced.
As leaders rise through the ranks, the risks and consequences of their decisions also increase, while traditional checks and balances often weaken. They gain access to greater discretionary resources, and subordinates may feel less comfortable voicing concerns. Furthermore, with a focus on long-term objectives, the impacts of decisions may not be immediately apparent. The research is clear: integrity standards are set—ultimately succeeding or failing—at the top.
Remember that demonstrating integrity begins with everyday actions, including the words and comments you use in daily interactions. As you reflect on your leadership, assess your level of honesty and integrity by considering the following statements and evaluating yourself on a scale of "always," "sometimes," or "not very often":
Do you:
Give credit where credit is due?
Establish honest, two-way communication with colleagues?
Hold a strong sense of right and wrong, striving to do what's right?
Set high personal standards of integrity?
Show up ready to work and engage fully for all eight hours?
Keep your word on all matters?
Actively model honesty for teammates and family?
Return phone calls and emails in a timely manner?
Promise only what you can deliver?
Show respect for others’ ideas?
Work as a team, honoring others' contributions?
Or do you:
Make promises you may not be able to keep?
Let integrity take a backseat when pursuing goals?
Arrive roughly on time and leave as soon as you can?
Overstate your contribution to appear more valuable?
Hold ethical standards different from your organization?
Rationalize questionable behavior when the ends seem to justify the means?
Achieve work tasks that mostly benefit your personal life?
How did you do?
Excelling as a leader requires maintaining integrity, which is fundamental to building a culture of trust. By demonstrating honesty and ethical standards, leaders create an environment of respect and reliability, where relationships thrive and morale grows. This begins with consistent daily actions and attitudes.
Donnie Smith, former CEO of Tyson Foods, emphasizes the importance of straightforward and honest communication, particularly when evaluating organizational performance and accepting constructive criticism. Effective leaders build trust and credibility by addressing both successes and shortcomings with transparency, rather than distorting the truth.
Creating a culture of trust also involves encouraging respectful disagreement. Leaders who welcome pushback maintain strong relationships and gain valuable insights, while those who discourage it risk isolating critical perspectives and limiting decision-making. Eliminating the fear of retaliation is key to fostering honest input during both successes and challenges. By creating opportunities for open feedback, leaders can uncover deeper insights and make thoughtful, effective decisions. Here are some best practices for you to do to strengthen your integrity blueprint:
Take Responsibility for Your Actions and Lead by Example: Be punctual, reliable, and professional in all your dealings. When you make a mistake, own up to it rather than deflecting blame. For instance, if a deadline is missed, acknowledge your part in it and take corrective action. Leading by example inspires your team to take responsibility for their actions as well.
Be Transparent: Openly communicate about decisions, policies, and changes within the organization. Share the reasoning behind your decisions to help team members understand the bigger picture. For example, when implementing a new policy, explain its purpose, how it aligns with organizational goals, and its anticipated impact.
Make Promises You Can Keep: Avoid overcommitting or making assurances you may not be able to fulfill. For example, if you promise additional resources for a project, ensure you have the authority and capability to deliver. Following through on promises reinforces your reliability and integrity.
Admit Mistakes: Acknowledge your errors openly and take responsibility for addressing them. When leaders admit mistakes, it shows humility and fosters a safe environment for learning. For example, if you introduce a strategy that doesn’t yield the expected results, admit the misstep, evaluate what went wrong, and use it as a learning opportunity for yourself and the team.
Treat Everyone Fairly and Consistently: Ensure that respect and fairness guide your interactions, avoiding favoritism or bias. For example, when assigning tasks or distributing rewards, base your decisions on merit and contribution rather than personal preferences.
Give Credit Where It’s Due: Acknowledge and celebrate others’ achievements and contributions. Publicly recognize team members during meetings, emails, or company announcements. For example, if a team member develops a solution that resolves a major issue, highlight their effort and share their success with the broader team. Recognition strengthens morale and reinforces collaborative behavior.
Uphold Ethics and Confidentiality: Maintain high ethical standards by respecting others’ privacy and making decisions that are both beneficial and morally sound. Handle sensitive information with care; for instance, if an employee shares personal or work-related concerns, ensure confidentiality unless disclosure is legally or ethically required. Similarly, avoid shortcuts that compromise integrity, such as misrepresenting data to meet targets or bending rules for convenience.
Understand that prioritizing honesty at work will have a trickle-down effect on the prosperity of your company, helping to create an environment of consistency despite external influences. Leaders who focus on and exemplify honesty in their dealings set a powerful example for their employees. When you are transparent with your team, they are more likely to reciprocate that honesty. Building relationships based on trust allows your organization to be seen by others as trustworthy and reliable.
To push your understanding of Authentic Integrity to the next level, explore these valuable resources. They’ll help expand your skills and provide essential tools for building strong leadership.
Honesty in the Workplace
Ankit Jain
7 Examples of Ethics in the Workplace
from Indeed.com
The Role of Honesty in Success (And Why Cutting Corners is a Bad Idea)
Kate Vitasek