Written by: Nathalie Colin, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Research about leadership has demonstrated that integrity plays a significant role in leaders’ influence. And many companies have now chosen to claim that value. Very often, people associate integrity with leaders’ sincerity. They expect them to say what they do and do what they say. People easily relate to leaders with strong honesty as they can trust them. They are more willing to team up and follow their guidance. Such a value drives collaboration, solidarity, loyalty, and engagement.
Yet leading with integrity can be challenging. Sometimes, one unconsciously drifts from their understanding of integrity at their expense and the expense of their teams, organization, and society. This article highlights three ways for leaders to embody integrity in the workplace.
How to define integrity?
Before jumping to what it means to lead with integrity, let’s pause and look at its definitions.
The Larousse dictionary explains that this is the state of something that has not suffered any reduction.
It also explains that it relates to a state of something that has kept, without any distortion, its qualities or its original condition. The Littré dictionary provides a complementary definition and speaks about the state of something whole.
I will use these definitions to illustrate three unconscious integrity drifts leaders may experience: reduction, distortion, and separateness.
1. Don’t reduce your Bold Vision.
Under business pressure, one sometimes lessens the original vision of a project. Leaders very often deal with different stakeholders' needs. And they can be tempted to degrade their bold vision of the future to ensure they get the financial support they need, the partnership that would provide an essential piece to the project, the visibility they look for to expand the activity, and so on. Checking at least once a quarter where you stand compared to your original vision is a must-have to ensure you don’t succumb to mermaid charms, as that would lock you in the future. It doesn’t mean you have to be stubborn. There might be some good reasons why you need to adapt. But beware of the temptations to diminish your dream. Adapting doesn’t mean reducing. When you lessen the scope of your vision, you lose sight of the “why” behind it.
Integrity protects purpose and meaning.
2. Don’t damage your Values.
I was working the other day with a CEO. And he was complaining about the lack of integrity he noticed in a meeting with an associate. At first, he didn’t understand why he was so angry at him. But very soon, he understood that each time his associate said, “OK, let’s not lie to each other,” it triggered anger. So at that moment, my client could feel a dissonance between what was said and what he could noticed in the reality of the business.
I then offered him a different perspective and asked him how this dissonance might speak about an inner conflict. In less than a few minutes, the CEO identified a specific area where he was lying to himself. And the truth is one of his most significant values! The day after, it was easy for him to act upon this and stay congruent with himself.
Keep in mind your values. Why not check every month in what way you still respect them and live with personal integrity?
Integrity gives you the energy to stand for what you believe in (aka your values).
3. Don’t disassociate with your Singularity.
How many of you have erased a part of your personality at work because it was not fitting, the role, the situation, or the company standards? I’m speaking about all these parts of you that you feel are out of the norm and could be seen as weaknesses. It could be your sensitivity, intuition, avant-gardism, need to work at a different rhythm than others, super creativity, or disruptive ideas.
You are whole when you acknowledge all your talents. You are born with a unique pallet of qualities; your role is to play all of them, as an orchestra conductor would do with all the instruments. Play your symphony! Let others listen to the beat of your leadership, and they will love working with you! As you will also encourage them to play their sound.
Integrity nurtures a sense of freedom.
This year, I encourage you to dare lead with personal integrity. And if you feel you need more support to elevate your leadership and impact, visit my website and ask for a coaching discovery call.
Nathalie Colin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Nathalie Colin is a Business coach on a mission to help pioneers increase their positive impact globally. In 2015 she came close to a stroke, and she initiated a spiritual journey that led her to quit her successful career in advertising strategy. The leaders and entrepreneurs she coaches are visionary, humble, generous, and work tirelessly. But seeking excellence, they control or suppress part of themselves and often live as impostors. Deep inside, they feel frustrated and think they are missing out on something essential. Nathalie helps them raise their Consciousness, lead from Soul and boldly expand their Contribution to this world.
