Picture courtesy of Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Why I’m jumping in now despite my fear
Over the last two years, I have been working on a book about Integrity in Business and why it matters.
If it weren’t for my brilliant book coach Anna Fox, I might have given up.
Fortunately, I didn’t, and with her ongoing encouragement and ability to help me make sense of the chaos of my thoughts, I am at the stage of submitting to agents.
This article serves as an introduction to a series of articles on the subject of integrity.
First off, what does integrity mean? A formal definition, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is
People throw the term about loosely to mean anything from being a good person to being good at accountability to being honest.
I believe we learn and are taught the importance of integrity at a young age, from the adults around us. I learnt about integrity from my father and certain influential adults I came into contact with as a child.
What compelled me to write this book was my frustration when working with organisations that have conveniently chosen to ignore the value of integrity and the repercussions that come with that decision.
The day I started writing the book followed an invitation to run a training programme at a company in Dublin City Centre.
As the head of HR led me down the corridor, I spotted the Mission Statement on the wall. I managed a swift glance, and the word integrity jumped out at me straight away.
There it is again, I thought in despair. How often have I seen that word in a vision or mission statement? Too many times to count.
The irony is that whenever I have seen it displayed proudly on the company wall or in the literature, it is not a concept that is being demonstrated.
It is quite the opposite. Companies claim integrity is one of their values, and what I have witnessed from leaders and managers alike is quite the opposite.
Management displays a lack of transparency and accountability, which leads to a complete lack of trust among employees.
Since I became an executive coach and trainer in Emotional Intelligence about 15 years ago, I have become increasingly curious and fascinated by this question: why don’t leaders care about integrity?
As a leader without integrity, you are putting your company at serious risk.
Integrity matters because it is the bedrock of everything your organisation stands for, and, as such, also your legacy.
When the CEO or head of an organisation allows individuals to bully others, or to behave with a lack of accountability, transparency, or moral compass, it trickles down and influences the rest of the organisation.
It is insidious, and like any disease, it may spread slowly, but it can be fatal.
I appreciate, however, that CEOs and heads of organisations are under enormous pressure, and often this is not a priority.
That is why I have written ‘The Seven Principles of Integrity,’
Why It Matters and How to Make It an Integral Part of Your Organisation.’
The book contains a practical set of easy-to-implement, actionable solutions that will change the company culture from the inside out and guide the CEO from anecdote to understanding to action.
At every stage, he or she will gain another piece of the puzzle to make integrity a core part of their identity and that of the company. This book will lead him or her from a place of powerlessness to regaining full control of their management team and a sense of joy, pride, and excitement in their company again.
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