INTEGRITY AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
Introduction/Definition
Integrity is a rare commodity in almost all areas of life the government, the press, Education and even the church has been hit hard by scandal. In every case, the lack of credibility can be traced back to the level of integrity of the individuals within those organizations and institutions.
The dictionary defines integrity as the state of being complete, unified a situation where words are matched by deeds. You are who you are no matter where you are and who I am with. A person with integrity does not have divided loyalties nor does he play the hypocrisy game. People with integrity are “whole” people; they can be identified by their single – mindedness. They have Nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Their lives are open books. A person of integrity is one who has established a system of values against which all of life is judged.
Integrity is not what we do so much as who we are. And who we are, in turn determines what we do. We all face conflicting desires. It does not matter how spiritual you are. Integrity is the factor that determines which desires will prevail. We all wrestle with what we want to do and what we ought to do. Integrity is establishes the rules for resolving these tensions.
Integrity is the soil on which consistency grows.
Socrates has said and I quote - “The first key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be” Too often we try to be a “human doing” before we have become a “human being”. To earn trust as a leader you must be authentic. If what I say and what I do are the same, the results are consistency e.g:
I say to youthsBe on time for the meeting,&
I arrive at the meeting on time. As such they will be on time
Next,I say to youths, put others First, and i equally put others first, then, they will put others first.
If what I say and do are not the same, the results are inconsistency (Repeat examples given, let what is said not be what is done) 80% of what people learn comes by visual stimulation. 10% through audible stimulation, and 1% through other senses. So, it makes sense that the more followers see and hear their leader being consistent in action and word, the greater their consistency and loyalty. What they hear, they understand, what they see, they believe.
Often we try to motivate our followers with just words or manipulate what youths need is not a motto to say but a model to see.
The more credible you are, the more confidence will place on you, consequently, allowing you the privilege of influencing their lives. The less credible you are, the less confidence youths will place on you and the more quickly you lose your position of leadership.
1. LEADERSHIP IS DRIVEN BY WHEELS OF TRUST
You cannot say a man is a leader if he has not followers. People will not follow a man they do not have confidence in. therefore the supreme quality for a leader is integrity. Without it, no real success is possible no matter where you are as a leader. If your associates or those you work with find you guilty of being phony, or that you lack integrity, you will fail. Your teaching and actions must agree with each other.
Authority is not power you have over those you lead (followers or subordinates) but it is rather your ability to influence those you lead to recognize and accept that power. It works like a “bargain” followers tacitly agree to accept the leader in return for being offered the kind of leadership they can accept. Simply put leaders must build and maintain credibility. Followers must be able to trust that their leaders will act in good faith towards them.
You will never get the organization to make people responsible to follow your
leadership, no matter the kind title, position, or policy you put in place to curtail insubordination. Effectiveness in leadership more than controlling your environment is controlling the inside. Often people lack leadership authority because they lack integrity.
If your youth understand you, you will get their attention. If they trust you, you will get their action. For a leader to have authority to lead, he needs more than a title on his door. He has to have the trust of those who are following him.
2. INTEGRITY HAS HIGH INFLUENCE VALUE
Your character as a youth leader determines both the character and size of your youth group. Will Rogers says: people’s minds are change through observation and not argument. People do what people see.
3. LEADERS SHOULD LIVE BY A HIGHER STANDARD THAN FOLLOWERS
Often people who desire to ascend into leadership positions give very little or no thought to the responsibility of that upward journey. Leaders must understand that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession a duty. Luke 17:10.
What limits people is character. When the character of leaders is low, so are their standards.
4. We tend to work harder on our images than on our integrity
Images is what people think we are. Integrity is what we really are. Use the following questions to determine when you are image building instead of integrity – building.
Consistency: Are you the same person no matter who you are with? Yes or No
Choice: Do you make decisions that are best for others when another choice would
benefit you? Yes or No
Credit: Are you quick to recognize others for their efforts and contributions to your success? Yes or No.
Thomas McCauley said: “The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he would never be found out”. We cannot give what we do not have. Image promises much but produces little. Integrity never disappoints.
5. INTEGRITY MEANS LIVING IT MYSELF BEFORE LEADING OTHERS
We cannot lead anyone else further than we have been ourselves. Too many times we are so concerned about the product we try to shortcut the process. There are no shortcuts when integrity is concerned. Eventually the truth will be revealed.
Recently a quality control consultant said when interviewed: in quality control, we are not concern about the product. We are concerned about the process. If the process is right, the product will be right. The same holds true for integrity; it guarantees credibility.
6. A CHARISMATIC PERSONALITY WILL DRAW PEOPLE; ONLY INTEGRITY WILL KEEP THEM. There is a difference between being clever and being credible in leadership. Cleaver leaders deal with facts knowledge and excellence are likely to manipulate people. Yes they will attract people. Credible leaders are those who earn the trust of others. To trust a leader, is not necessary to agree with him. Trust is the conviction that the leader means what he says. Leaders who are sincere do not need to advertise that fact. It is visible in everything the do and soon becomes common knowledge to everyone. People of integrity are patient because they know time will prove them right and are willing to wait.
7. INTEGRITY IS A VICTORY NOT A GIFT
Integrity is not a given, and a decision in everyone’s life. It is a result of self discipline, inner trust and a decision to be relentlessly honest in all situations in our lives. Integrity is what holds our way of life together. We must strive to keep our integrity intact.
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost, when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
You will only become what you are becoming right now.
INTEGRITY TEST
1. Am I true to myself
2. Am I true to my leader? Who is your mentor?
3. Am I true to my Followers? How do you affect your followers
Write out what you value in life. What is your conviction? A conviction is a belief or principle that you regularly mode, one for which you would be willing to die.
Ask someone who knows you will what areas of your life they see as consistent (your do what you say) and what areas they see are inconsistent (you say but don’t always do).
CONCLUSION
We live in a world of quick fixes where the strength of character is a rare commodity. Yet we must remember that image is what people think we are. Integrity is what we really are. The only way we can keep the goodwill and high esteem of the people we work with is to deserve it. No one can fool all of the people all the time. Each one of us eventually is recognized for exactly what we are not what we try to be. Hence, model integrity and you have nothing to fear or hide.
