HONEST
WHY IT MATTERS
Honesty is the foundation upon which everything in an organization is built. The foundation of honesty includes the trust that people are telling the truth, the trust that they will keep their commitments, and the trust that they are doing things the right way. Leaders that are honest say things how they really are, do what they agree to do, and be who they commit to be. Their commitment to honesty provides the strength upon which their organization can confidently build. Leaders that are dishonest with their people, customers, partners, or other stakeholders set their clocks on borrowed time. Eventually they will see the seemingly strong foundation upon which they have dishonestly built their work and relationships fall apart.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are honest make the decision to not do anything that could bring discredit to themselves, their colleagues, other leaders, or their organization. They guard the integrity of their name and organization’s brand at all costs. When given the opportunity to be dishonest they don’t negotiate in their minds what they should do. Even if being dishonest would lead to personal gain, they set a clear-cut line between right and wrong and refuse to cross it.
Leaders that are honest build a culture that values integrity. They set the standard for personal integrity through their own example. They expect people to be honest in all of their decisions, interactions, dealings, and conversations. They praise honest actions and reinforce them with gratitude and recognition. Alternatively, if individuals persist in dishonest behavior they are sharply corrected, even to the point of ending a person’s employment if necessary.
Leaders that are honest say what they think and feel without regard to who they are speaking to, the situation they are in, or the potential consequences they could face. They don’t look to win friends, gain position, or take advantage of others by saying something that isn’t true. They are honest, but also know how to speak with tact to ensure they do not cause unnecessary offense.
Leaders that are honest are aware of their use of time at work. They use their time engaged in their work duties and priorities and not in unapproved personal tasks. They save work for work and leave their personal life to their personal time. They use resources they are provided for the purposes for which they are given. They don’t fudge numbers, misuse resources, or misrepresent business matters.
Leaders that are honest maintain personal confidences. When others share personal or sensitive information with them they refrain from sharing it with anyone else, no matter the perceived justification, without formal approval. They want people to know they can trust them with those things that are most important to them.
Leaders that are honest are an “open book” about the realities of the organization, its people, and its work. They report things as they really are without added embellishment or diminished detail. They talk about reality without watering it down or enhancing it. They clearly state how things are, why they are, and what is truly happening.
BELIEFS
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
PSYCHOMETRIC 360 QUESTIONS
Honesty is the foundation upon which everything in an organization is built. The foundation of honesty includes the trust that people are telling the truth, the trust that they will keep their commitments, and the trust that they are doing things the right way. Leaders that are honest say things how they really are, do what they agree to do, and be who they commit to be. Their commitment to honesty provides the strength upon which their organization can confidently build. Leaders that are dishonest with their people, customers, partners, or other stakeholders set their clocks on borrowed time. Eventually they will see the seemingly strong foundation upon which they have dishonestly built their work and relationships fall apart.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are honest make the decision to not do anything that could bring discredit to themselves, their colleagues, other leaders, or their organization. They guard the integrity of their name and organization’s brand at all costs. When given the opportunity to be dishonest they don’t negotiate in their minds what they should do. Even if being dishonest would lead to personal gain, they set a clear-cut line between right and wrong and refuse to cross it.
Leaders that are honest build a culture that values integrity. They set the standard for personal integrity through their own example. They expect people to be honest in all of their decisions, interactions, dealings, and conversations. They praise honest actions and reinforce them with gratitude and recognition. Alternatively, if individuals persist in dishonest behavior they are sharply corrected, even to the point of ending a person’s employment if necessary.
Leaders that are honest say what they think and feel without regard to who they are speaking to, the situation they are in, or the potential consequences they could face. They don’t look to win friends, gain position, or take advantage of others by saying something that isn’t true. They are honest, but also know how to speak with tact to ensure they do not cause unnecessary offense.
Leaders that are honest are aware of their use of time at work. They use their time engaged in their work duties and priorities and not in unapproved personal tasks. They save work for work and leave their personal life to their personal time. They use resources they are provided for the purposes for which they are given. They don’t fudge numbers, misuse resources, or misrepresent business matters.
Leaders that are honest maintain personal confidences. When others share personal or sensitive information with them they refrain from sharing it with anyone else, no matter the perceived justification, without formal approval. They want people to know they can trust them with those things that are most important to them.
Leaders that are honest are an “open book” about the realities of the organization, its people, and its work. They report things as they really are without added embellishment or diminished detail. They talk about reality without watering it down or enhancing it. They clearly state how things are, why they are, and what is truly happening.
BELIEFS
- No personal gain or position is worth knowing it was achieved through dishonest means.
- Once you cause others to doubt your integrity it may be hard to get it back. Trust is earned at great cost and lost in an instant.
- When asked what you think or how you feel about a given situation, the only option is to tell things how they really are.
- People will look to, admire, trust, and rely on people they believe are honest and trustworthy.
- People want to feel the security of knowing their leader can be counted on to be full of integrity at all times.
- Just because others readily accept dishonesty of some kind doesn’t make it right or mean you should too.
- Honesty will always be the right path to take, even if it means you need to walk that path alone.
- One dishonest deed assuredly leads to another. Once a dishonest path has been chosen it can be hard to depart from it.
- Tell the truth in every situation and setting.
- Say to others what you truly think.
- Accept the consequences of being honest.
- Don’t take shortcuts that aren’t approved.
- Do what you commit to do at all times.
- Handle resources with complete integrity.
- Do not back down from what you feel.
- Have a core set of values and live them.
- Guard sensitive information.
- Keep commitments no matter how small.
- Be particular in holding yourself accountable.
- Report things as they really are.
- Don’t doubt the need for honesty, just do it.
- Don’t tolerate dishonest acts of your colleagues.
- Set the organizational standard for integrity.
- Put in place systems to report dishonest acts.
- Be honest in private and in public life.
- Use your resources for what they were intended.
- Do not take advantage of other people.
- Be willing to dismiss those who are dishonest.
- Always takes the higher road.
- Don’t be dishonest just because others are.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I guard the integrity of my name at all costs, or do I act in ways that could bring me future discredit or shame?
- Do I set clear lines of right and wrong, or do I have to negotiate in my mind every occasion to be dishonest?
- Do I maintain my integrity even if it means personal loss, or do I lower my standards if it benefits me?
- Do I act quickly to correct dishonest behavior as soon as I see it, or do I permit dishonest behavior to continue?
- Do I say what I think and feel no matter what, or do I hold back from speaking up when it is the right thing to do?
- Do I report things as they really are, or do I skew things to my own or to the organization’s advantage?
- Do I use all resources at my disposal with complete honesty, or do I misuse or misrepresent their use?
- Do I maintain confidences when I am entrusted with them, or do I share things I have promised not to share?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t become the “watch person” who is constantly policing other’s behavior, focus more on your own honesty.
- Don’t be so ready to judge others that you note something as being dishonest without knowing all the facts.
- Don’t overlook the fact that being wise in how you express your honesty is just as important as being honest.
PSYCHOMETRIC 360 QUESTIONS
- I never lie.
- It is never okay to stretch the truth.
- I always tell the truth, even when I may lose a friendship.
- Exaggeration is harmful.
- I have a hard time working with people who are dishonest.
- I would rather be honest than win.