Hello and welcome.
Today's word is all about integrity.
What do you do when no one's looking?
Have you ever faced a moment where doing the right thing was difficult?
Integrity is about standing by your values,
Even when no one is watching.
Imagine how much stronger your character and relationships would be if honesty and moral principles guided every decision you made.
Integrity builds trust,
Fosters strong relationships,
And leads to a life of authenticity.
It's not about perfection,
But about making choices that align with your values and ethics.
When we act with integrity,
We create a foundation of credibility in both personal and professional relationships.
And this is a quality that is highly valued in leaders,
Partners,
Of course,
And even in our own self-worth.
And when we look at the world of business,
It's often the leader that has integrity,
Not the leader that makes all the decisions that we might agree with,
That we support.
Abraham Lincoln,
For example,
Was known as Honest Abe.
His commitment to the truth and fairness defined his presidency.
His integrity was tested during the Civil War,
But he remained steadfast in his pursuit of justice and unity,
Ultimately leading to the abolition of slavery in the United States.
He famously refused to abandon his morals for political gains,
Making him one of the most respected leaders in history.
We have Socrates,
The Greek philosopher,
Who refused to compromise his beliefs even when sentenced to death.
His commitment to truth and intellectual integrity laid the foundation for Western philosophy.
He chose to die rather than renounce his pursuit of knowledge and virtue,
Demonstrating that integrity sometimes comes with personal sacrifice.
Two really great examples from history,
But how many examples are there today in the world and perhaps in your life?
How many of your friends or family members really give off that sense of integrity?
How many of them do you really trust to doing the right thing even when no one's looking?
That's what integrity is all about.
A study in the Journal of Business Ethics found that workplaces with high integrity reported far better employee satisfaction and productivity,
Even engagement.
Employees trust leadership more when they see ethical decision making in action.
And as I mentioned before,
We really don't have to agree with those decisions if we feel that our leader is being ethical.
Neuroscientific studies suggest that people who act with integrity experience lower stress levels as they do not have to maintain deceit or live in cognitive dissonance.
That's a very,
Very interesting one.
If you're somebody where you say perhaps you haven't been living your truth or you haven't been living in integrity,
How much easier could your life actually be if you did?
And research from the Harvard Business Review shows that leaders who demonstrate integrity are more likely to earn long-term respect and trust from employees,
Resulting in more stable and successful organizations.
And there,
I would like to add for you that if you're living your best life,
You are a leader.
You are the leader of your life.
Think of the impact it will have then if you have integrity on your family members,
Your children,
Your partners,
Your friends,
And how much more successful your organization,
Aka your life,
Could actually be.
So three points I'm going to share with you today to encourage a little bit more integrity into your world.
And number one would be to reflect on your core values and ensure that your actions really are aligned with them.
Have a look.
Many people have never examined their own value systems.
Number two,
Hold yourself accountable for promises and commitments,
Even when they become inconvenient.
Integrity is not the easy path,
But it's a strong path.
And number three,
Speak the truth even when it's difficult,
But do so with kindness and diplomacy.
And today we're going to end on a quote by C.
S.
Lewis,
Integrity is doing the right thing,
Even when no one is watching.
