Integrity: are your leaders up to it?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine what is meant by integrity and attempts to translate the concept into specific behaviors that can be taught and learned.

Design/methodology/approach

Highlights the topicality of integrity and shows why it is likely to become increasingly important in organizations.

Findings

Presents four basic leadership‐integrity behaviors – moral purpose, lawful and ethical, consistency and standing for something. Highlights the importance of discerning what is right and wrong, acting on what one has discerned, even at personal cost, and saying openly that one is acting on what one understands to be right or wrong.

Practical implications

Advances commercial arguments for developers to espouse and promote integrity and the importance of learning about it in their organizations. Shows that integrity underpins an organization's ultimate profitability and competitiveness, as well as increasing employees' pride, engagement with their jobs and customer loyalty. Claims that integrity has also been revealed to enhance company brand or reputation, improve efficiency, attract staff, conserve and sustain resources and mitigate business risk.

Originality/value

Emphasizes that, in communicating the need to focus on integrity and offering ways to help leaders to develop their performance in this area, it makes sense to focus on what is productive for both the individual and the organization.

Citation

Leigh, A. (2009), "Integrity: are your leaders up to it?", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 17 No. 6, pp. 3-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730910986069