By Larry Broughton
With ethical lapses in every nook and cranny of society occurring by the minute these days…it’s a fair question.
From politicians that shamelessly lie (but keep getting elected) to business leaders who tank their companies (yet pocket millions), sports stars who display morals and values fit for a sociopath (while fans cheer) to welfare cheats who rip-off the system (but are never punished), the very concept of integrity seems at odds with today’s “modern” society.
With so many seemingly lying, cheating and stealing…is integrity dead? If you’re in any sort of leadership position—and want to remain there for any length of time—the answer is a resounding “NO!”
Harvey MacKay, author of five best-selling books like Swim with the Sharks, nailed it when he said, “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.” Pause there. Let that sink in.
According to Merriam-Webster, integrity is a “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.” It’s routinely the most important value listed by clients, customers, suppliers, supervisors and team members when surveyed. People want to associate and do business with those they know, like and trust. Integrity is essential for developing trust. It remains the single most important building block of enduring success. When trust fades, everything else crumbles.
So why does integrity matter so much, especially if you lead? Because your team leans on you. You set the vision. Daily operations flow from it, shaping how everyone spends their time. Keep your word, and they get clear direction—stable ground to stand on. Break it, and confusion creeps in. Productivity stalls. Frustration grows. Picture a manager promising flexible hours but never delivering—workers can’t plan vacations or save money, and resentment festers. Integrity keeps the machine running.
You also need a network to thrive. Success hinges on connections—people who can offer support or expertise when you need it the most. Trust builds those bridges. Act flaky or backtrack on promises, and no one wants to deal with you. Show integrity, and others rally around. They sign deals. They recommend you. Data supports this: a 2021 study by Edelman found 81% of consumers need to trust a brand before buying. Trust mitigates risk. It’s that simple.
Maintaining your reputation beats repairing one every time. Stick to your principles, and your team stays happy—turnover drops. Customers and clients stick around too, spreading the word because they know your product holds up. Slip up, and the fallout hits hard. Workers bolt to avoid scandal or secure their own stability. Buyers jump to competitors who stand for something better. Take Enron—executives cooked the books, and when it blew up in 2001, thousands lost jobs while the company bled billions. Rebuilding trust costs more than cash—it takes years.
Integrity fuels innovation too. When you’re whole—unafraid to face your strengths and flaws—you gain confidence to push boundaries. Consider S. Truett Cathy, an Army veteran who launched Chick-fil-A from a tiny diner in 1946. He held fast to his values—closing Sundays to honor God and rest—grew a quick-service food giant to roughly $25 billion in annual sales and showed that sticking to principles could redefine an industry. Your team sees that kind of leadership and follows suit. They drop petty differences and pull together, eager to back you. A united front sparks breakthroughs. Division kills them.
Here’s the twist: integrity sets you apart. Plenty of businesses offer similar products, prices or quality. But how many stand firm when it counts? Scandals—fraud, unsafe conditions, broken laws—topple giants daily. Motivation without integrity flops. Just look at Theranos—Elizabeth Holmes hyped a dream but faked the results, crashing a $9 billion empire by 2018. When everything else aligns, your integrity could tip the scales. Shareholders notice. Lenders bet on you. Buyers choose you.
Key Elements of Integrity
Internal Integrity: Often defined as “doing the right thing even when no one is looking,” internal integrity is critical since you must first trust yourself before you can get others to trust you. It can also be the toughest to achieve, since sometimes the person with whom we are least honest with is ourselves!
External Integrity: This is all about “walking the talk.” Follow through. Hit deadlines. Deliver on budget. Most leaders and businesses can survive a bad economy, but continually flaking on promises will quickly sink a business (and its leader) in any economy!
Integrated or Whole Integrity: Stop for a moment and think about how many people you’ve heard of who lived seemingly exemplary lives with external integrity, but lived a secret personal life devoid of internal integrity and vice versa. Combining the two is where the real magic happens.
Will you nail it every time? No. Nobody does. Reflect often. Recognize when you stray. Own it and fix it. The famous maxim at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point says, “Choose the harder right over the easier wrong.” It’s not easy. A leader might face a choice—cut corners to hit a quarterly goal or stay honest and risk a dip. Pick the right path. Your team watches. Your network feels it.
So, is integrity dead in America? Not if you say, “no.” You lead a team wondering where they fit—give them purpose with your word. You chase goals in a cutthroat world—stand out with your principles. You face daily tests—pass them with grit. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “Glass, china and reputation are easily cracked and never well mended.” Guard yours. Integrity isn’t just alive—it’s your edge. Step into your office tomorrow and check yourself. Are you the leader people trust? You can be. Now, go get ‘em!
Larry Broughton is a former U.S. Army Green Beret, best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur & CEO, keynote speaker and leadership mentor. For more information, visit @LarryBroughton and LarryBroughton.com.
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