By James Lee
Let’s talk about integrity.
Not the poster-on-the-wall kind. Not the vague value in your mission statement. Let’s talk about real integrity: the kind that drives performance, sharpens decision-making, and either builds or breaks your reputation as a leader. Because here’s the truth: integrity isn’t about being a good person. It’s not about morality, or ethics, or whether you return your shopping cart.
It’s about workability.
It’s about whether who you say you are actually matches how you show up, every day, especially under pressure.
Integrity is You With You
At its core, integrity is personal. It’s not about how the world sees you. It’s about how you see you. Who do you say you are? And are you actually operating from that place? That’s not a one-time declaration. It’s a moment-by-moment phenomenon. You don’t “have” integrity. You’re either being it, or you’re not. Right now. And that matters. Because at your level, people are watching for consistency, not charisma. Are you congruent? Do your words match your behavior? Do your intentions match your results?
Leadership Without Integrity Leaks Power
You can be smart, strategic, even brilliant. But if you’re out of integrity, there’s always a cost. Not always loud. But always present. There’s a slow erosion of trust. A subtle drain on energy. A hesitation in your team’s execution. Decisions take longer. Alignment gets fuzzy. Things stall. Why? Because people sense when things don’t match. When your commitments and your behavior aren’t congruent, there’s confusion. Confusion creates friction. Friction kills momentum.
Integrity Isn’t About Being Right. It’s About Being Whole.
A car isn’t whole if one part is misaligned. It still might move, but not well. Same with leadership. One area where your actions don’t match your word. One conversation you avoid. One promise you break. One standard you let slide. And there’s leakage. And leakage doesn’t just affect you. It spreads. Your culture inherits it. Your teams replicate it. Your results reflect it.
Why It Matters to You and Your Leadership
If your results aren’t what you said they’d be, integrity is the first place to look. Not to punish yourself, but to regain power. Where were you unclear? Where did you lower your own bar? Where did you say yes when you meant no? Where did you say “I’ve got this” but failed to follow through? You don’t need to be perfect. But if you’re not honest with yourself, your team can’t be honest with you. And without that? You’ll miss the real data. You’ll lose innovation. You’ll start managing optics instead of impact.
So, Why Integrity?
Because results follow integrity. Because the people around you can’t outperform the example you set. Because a culture built on trust moves faster and performs better. And because your leadership only works when you do.
Final Word
When trust breaks down, speed slows down. And leadership becomes performative. You want to lead at the highest level? Then your integrity isn’t optional. It’s foundational. Ask yourself, quietly and clearly: Where am I not being who I say I am? Because the moment you bring that into alignment, you don’t just gain clarity. You gain speed. You gain trust. You gain a team that knows where you stand and stands with you.