Ever eaten a piece of cake that tasted funny, only to realize that the person who made it forgot to put in one of the ingredients. Ingredients are vital to completing the whole. Put them all together and you may not even realize that they're all there. But leave one out and you'll know right away. The same is true if we are to be leaders who exhibit integrity. Integrity takes the whole person. Take a look at the following list. It contains some of the key ingredients that are evident in the life of a leader who has integrity. After each item are some observations of how these facets of integrity can be applied in our everyday lives.
1. Be decisive.
Weak leadership makes excuses and doesn't own up to mistakes; strong leadership understands its responsibilities and corrects its mistakes gently. You may make a mistake, but make the decision! Integrity helps the leader to make decisions that are in line with one's values.
What decisions are you hesitating to make because of uncertainty or fear of failure? What types of obstacles are in the way of you making the decisions that you, as a leader, need to make?
2. Be a gracious recipient of praise and be willing to accept valid criticism. While each of us enjoys the encouragement we receive, valid criticism is often our greatest learning tool. A leader of integrity realizes that we are constantly learning. Most times, it is the difficult and painful things in life that teach us the most.
Are you able to surround yourself with people who don't always shower you with praise, but also are willing to point out areas of improvement or offer a different point of view?
3. Be knowledgeable of those who are responsible to you. Pay attention to what’s going on in the lives of those who work with you and for you. They may need encouragement. They may need special instruction. They may need to get something off of their chest. They may need extra moments of care.
Do you take the time to listen to those who need listening to (that's just about all of us)? Rosa has a wonderful prescription for this called The Daily Five Minutes.
4. Be responsible.
It’s important to be responsible in all areas of your life: schedule, family, spiritual health, etc. Be responsible by keeping your word and carrying through, by knowing how and when to say “No,” and by knowing when to say “I’m sorry” and “I was wrong.”
What are you responsible for? Who have you brought alongside of you to help you accomplish your goals? What kinds of responsibilities have you passed on to them?
5. Be enthusiastically positive. A positive attitude trumps a negative one...every time. Are you thankful or critical? Remember -- what you are rubs off on others.
How do people feel when you leave a room? Anticipating the next encounter or grateful for the reprieve?
6. Be aware of the purpose and mission of your organization. If you don’t understand it, your organization will be no larger than a grill full of pancakes or whatever task confronts you. When you discover the bigger picture, you are better able to become a part of the unfolding story of your organization.
Do you know why your organization exists? Do you know the importance and impact that your chapter of its story has and are you working to move that story in the right direction?
*This list was adapated from an article by Bob Kraning in The Journal of Camps and Conferences.
thank u . nice artical. explains things in simple ans easy laguage.
Posted by: Dr.Aanchal | May 25, 2009 at 03:14 AM
Dude, Tim, this is a GREAT list. SGA, what are we here for? What is our "purpose?" Can we take criticism? Are we listening to our peers? Good things to think about. We should probably talk about it at LEAD.
Posted by: Nikki Bodenstab | July 20, 2005 at 07:29 PM