Lead with Integrity

Be a leader who can look in the mirror and be happy with what you see. Treat people fairly and work to gain trust through authenticity. Difficult decisions will need to be made and difficult messages delivered but if they are conveyed with honesty and fairness, it will result in respect from your team not disillusionment. A disillusioned person’s perspective goes something like this, “I can’t believe…made that decision. It was clearly driven by… How can he look at himself in the mirror?” In any team, there are personalities that we would prefer to work with and employees with whom we resonate better. Look objectively at the decisions you make and the way that you deliver the message. Would it pass the “front page of the newspaper test”? Do some work to become aware of your unconscious biases and ask for input from those in your team for areas you could improve and then take action.

A leader with integrity can convey the vision and assist the team to complete the work required to make that vision a reality. If you can motivate your team in a meaningful way, be true to yourself, your team and your values you will come across as an authentic leader who can be relied upon.

A 2024 study published in the International Journal of Leadership and Governance found that leaders who demonstrate transparency, consistency, and ethical behavior significantly enhance employee trust and commitment, helping create a supportive, engaged work environment. It highlights a recurring gap between leadership intent and employee experience, concluding that leaders who are disconnected from the day-to-day realities of their teams often overestimate their effectiveness, while employees judge leadership quality largely through fairness, honesty, and genuine care.

To lead with integrity is to utterly understand the concerns of your workforce and not just pay lip service, a good team will see through that quickly and lose respect. Show that you care, have given due consideration to the issues, and believe that you can work with the team to improve the situation, and you will earn a reputation as an authentic leader that people are driven to follow.