Do you have it?  If you are a leader, and you are missing integrity, you won’ t be a very effective leader for long!  People will end up seeing right through you as a fake.

Does your word mean anything?  Does your handshake mean anything?  Is your yes a yes and your no a no?

Wikipedia defines INTEGRITY as: a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty andtruthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy,[1] in that it regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.

When nobody else is looking, are you a man or woman of integrity?  

Mike Stromsoe – This is my stepfather who owns an insurance business.  A man offered him $5000 cash to date a policy two days previous to the day he came into the office because he was in a car accident and didn’t have insurance.  This $5000 would have made a BIG difference in our family’s total income at the time!  We are a family of EIGHT! Nobody would have known, he could have done it. 

BUT, his leadership lifestyle said not to!  That is a man of integrity.  A great leader.

We have all seen coaches who don’t have integrity.  They are in it for themselves.  Sure, they might win more than others, but what is the cost?  Are they bending the rules?  Are they not reading the rules so they can say “I didn’t know.”

Are they honest about their kids grades and eligibility?  Having integrity is key as a leader because people will trust, believe and follow you when you stand up for what is right, no matter the cost.  Sure, it might hurt you sometimes.  But in the end, you will gain more respect and followers if you lead with integrity, as opposed to deceitfulness and lies.