How To Lead With Integrity

It’s all too often we hear stories of leaders who lose their influence because of something they said or did.  It’s a fear that I carry around, wondering, “Will my mistakes follow me?”

Courtesy of drumminhands/Creative Commons License

You aren’t perfect and that’s okay; however, as a leader you do need to have integrity.  Integrity makes you a leader worth following because you show others that you can be trusted.  To build that integrity you need to:

WORK ON YOUR INSIDE TO IMPACT YOUR OUTSIDE

Integrity comes from working on what’s happening inside.  That means checking in on your heart and making sure it isn’t:

• Tired
• Angry
• Burned out
• Sick
• Carrying a heavy burden

Take care of what’s going on inside by engaging in activities where you can be refueled and nurtured.  That might mean:

• Working on a regularly scheduled prayer life.
• Seeking professional coaching or counseling.
• Going on retreat.
• Planning a real vacation.

You might not feel like you have the time to stop and work on yourself, but the truth is that you cannot afford to mess this up.  Work on what’s going on inside so that you can continue to be an example of Christ and leadership.

THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU POST

Does not matter what you post online it can be taken out of context.  While social media is an important tool for communication it’s important to approach it with:

A Plan: Make sure you can answer the question, “Why am I using this?”

Cool and Calm Emotions:  If you post based off of emotions you’re message will fall short of your intentions.

Use social media to get the best from others.  Allow yourself to be vulnerable and not only show what you know, but what you are learning.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE WRONG

A leader doesn’t have to be perfect, but he does have to be humble.  Admitting that you are wrong can be a challenge, but people will respect you more if are willing to take responsibility for your actions.

When something goes wrong don’t look for someone to blame.  Even if you aren’t directly at fault.  Instead own the situation, go to God and work on a solution.

Integrity is so important to your leadership.  People want to know you are someone worth following.  Give them that assurance by constantly working on yourself and investing in a better you.