The Transformative Power of Integrity

integrity, business, leadership

Martha has an excellent reputation at work. Her co-workers know that if she says she will have a deliverable by 9 am, it will be there. They never have to follow up or check to make sure her projects are coming along. Everyone who works with her appreciates how much time she saves them by simply keeping her word. And leadership has noticed. She is regularly asked to take on more and bigger things which results in promotion and salary increase. People like to work on Martha’s projects. They feel good about themselves and grow.

In my last article, I wrote about integrity, explaining exactly what it means to honor your word as your life. I challenged you to look for instances in which people – in your family, workplace, or community – broke their word, and I’ve heard so many examples. These breaches seem to be everywhere.

But what happens when integrity is the rule rather than the exception? The whole world transforms.

What Changes When Everyone Honors His or Her Word?

Imagine working in an environment in which everyone holds integrity as a deep value. The need for status meetings disappears. Checking in on people disappears. All the energy we normally devote to checking on the things we cannot control is restored. Without increasing your payroll at all, you have found the manpower to work with customers and build up your products and services.

Trust, too, increases. We trust our peers, but beyond that, our customers trust us. We set ourselves apart from the competitions. When we live with integrity in a world full of breaches, we own our market.

Internally, hesitation fades and you dare to do more than you ever thought possible. When you live your word and witness others living theirs, you know you can count on yourself and your associates. You promise more because you know you are capable. There’s no need to hesitate because you see the extraordinary power in yourself and the people around you.

What else happens when you live in integrity? You get comfortable saying – and hearing – the word “No.” When you value your word, you say, “No,” with respect. People understand that you are a person of integrity. You aren’t being uncooperative. Rather, you’re saying no to one person in order to keep your word to another. When people say no to you, you understand that they, too, are defending the promises they’ve already made.

Taking the Plunge: Living in Integrity

Living in integrity starts with intentionality. Before you begin each day, take a moment to express your intentions. In that moment, you’re making a contract with yourself to persist until you achieve your intention because you gave your word. That’s really all there is to it.

Tomorrow, commit to integrity. Start your day with clear intentions and persist. The transformation may not be immediate, but it will come, and it will amaze you. Share your stories with me via email. I want to hear all about it.

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Founder, The Clearing, Inc

Chris McGoff, founder of The Clearing, Inc., has spent the last 35 years helping governments and organizations to engender new, transformative possibilities for a better world. Through his work and research,…

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