Leadership Lessons 18
Integrity is the most important aspect of an inspiring and ethical leadership.
The fact of the matter is that those who make lasting impact within the society, world and history are those leaders with impeccable integrity. Those with internal sense of integrity are driven by deeply held values and convictions about basic honesty.
If one is not honest to oneself and honest within oneself, they may not be very honest to others. Those with high integrity of leadership are first and foremost accountable to their own internal values, voices and consciousness. It is their internal moral compass that drive them..
But to move on the path of integrity is much challenging. Integrity is like a moral compass deep inside and it shows when you go in to a wrong direction. Often many in leadership positions may simple not have a moral compass deep inside and they follow positions of 'convenience' or 'compromise' as distinct from positions of deep convictions.
It is a struggle to follow the path of leadership with integrity as there are too many temptations that seduce you on the way to power.
Dimensions of Integrity
Integrity has many dimensions.
1) "Walk the talk' is one the most evident aspect of the leadership with integrity. It is not easy to practice what you preach. It is often challenging to keep bridging the gap between words and deeds.
2)The second aspect of integrity is the ability to keep out vested interest of the self or others when dealing with resources or decisions.
3)The third aspect of integrity is to ensure responsibility, accountability and transparency of resources: money, organisational power, networks and people. In fact corruption is basically abusing power to get special incentives for the self, most often in terms of receiving money or resources without transparency or accountability.
4) Integrity is also about how do we deal with people and relationships. There are many leaders who 'make use' of people and once such 'use' is over they simply forget and move on when their specific use is over. People eventually lose trust in such leaders.
Those with immense gratitude to the people helped them on their way and never forget the people who helped them to move to the leadership are those with integrity of relationships. Those with internal sense of integrity often build intrinsic relations with people as opposed to 'instrumental use' of people.
5)Integrity is also about reliability. There are many leaders who promise and don't even bother to follow up. There are so many leaders who fake affection and promises.. An ethical leader is someone is real in her/his affection, appreciation and also ability to fulfill what they promise.
6).Only those with high personal integrity quotient, and those who are genuine in their affection, appreciation and support, words and deeds eventually inspire people. There are those with deep sense of internal integrity and those who often try to project 'integrity' for an external 'audience' to impress them.
Withstanding the temptations of power
In any positions of power, there will always be temptations to misuse power. It is important to understand the various distinction between the perspectives and perceptions of power position.
For ethical leaders power is a responsibility to serve, to make a positive difference, to touch lives, to be creative and to live with integrity and imagination. They wear power very lightly.
For others power is a means to exert control. For them power is a means to 'show their might and power'. Power is also means to amass more power through wealth or control of wealth.
Those with internal sense of integrity will never compromise power for greed or wealth. It is impossible to 'buy' them or even 'silence' them with money, incentives or positions of power.
When one is in positions of power, there will be too many temptations to 'make use of power' or make use of 'people'.
Small things lead to larger temptations
When I used to the CEO of an organisation at a pretty young age, our regular travel agent approached me with an offer of commission, if I don't insist on cheapest ticket. He told me that heads of many big organisations( including a well known scientist who was heading a big government organisation) make few lakhs annually through these 'commissions' and many of them also get 'complimentary ticket' for family holidays.
I asked him how he dared to ask such a question and disqualified the vendor. The young travel agent was in too much hurry to make money through corruption and eventually lost everything when he was arrested for a big corruption.
The point is simple: when you are in power, there will be too many 'temptations' and there will be too many people who are ready to offer you all the three 'Ws'. Many knowingly or unknowingly succumb to the temptations.
I have been in jobs and positions where one could amass money through 'commissions' but never ever took one Ruppes or dollar that is inappropriate. This is partly due to the deeply held belief inculcated from childhood.
It is not only my mother and grandparents taught the importance of honesty. I am so fortunate to have a partner/wife who is so particular about such things. Always insisted that we should never ever take one Rupee that is gained through inappropriate means.
It is often people who also surround us that induce to follow corrupt practices as they keep 'rationalizing ' it. I have met so many people who rationalize corruption and saying that it is 'not big deal'.
There are also those who accuse you trying to be a 'saint' when you oppose something wrong. I had to remove few people ( and some well known) due to the corrupt practices.
Hence it is important to be with people who will keep your moral compass intact and people who would tell you " you are wrong and you must not do this'. One of the reasons that I fell in love with my friend is her insistence on ethics and honesty.
It is not an easy thing to sustain integrity when you are in big positions of power. Leadership positions of power is a perilous journey through slippery lanes.
Leadership of integrity withstand the test of time and emerge despite accusations or allegations .
I was privileged to work with many leaders with impeccable sense of integrity and I am inspired by them.
JS Adoor
To be continued
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