Why it is important to have integrity in all aspects of your life!

Leadership can be defined as the process of helping people do the worthwhile things they want to do or is the activity of influencing people to do what they ordinarily wouldn’t do on their own (Dr. Elmer Towns). The list goes on and on of what leadership is, but it can simply be stated in one word; influence. Leaders get people to do things, knowingly and unknowingly.   There are many different characteristics to leadership, but the most imperative one is integrity. If a leader does not have integrity he or she will eventually fall. That fact of the matter is that everyone is a leader, because everyone influences someone. Not everyone will become a great leader, bet everyone can become a better leader (John Maxwell). If a person has integrity then they are able to become both great and better, without it, it is impossible.  Integrity is defined as firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; the quality or state of being complete or undivided. The root of integrity comes from integer, and an integer is a whole number, it is not a fraction. So integrity is living a complete and undivided life. It is being the same on the inside as on the outside. In his book “Transparent Living,” Ron Handley writes, integrity is being the same person right now as you would be by yourself. II Corinthians says, “for we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.” Integrity is something our life should be consumed by.

Leadership cannot be successfully achieved without integrity. John Maxwell in his book “Developing the Leader Within You,” writes “The White House, the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, the church, the sports arena, the academy, even the day care center have all been hit hard by scandal. In every case, the lack of credibility can be traced back to level of integrity of the individuals within those organizations and institutions.” It is imperative that integrity become an important part of leadership again. Maxwell lays out seven reasons why integrity is important. First, integrity builds trust. It is more than getting some high position of authority and calling yourself a leader, it is about people following you because of who you are as a person. It is about being the same person behind the scenes as you are in the spotlight and it is about doing what you say you are going to do. This will ultimately gain you trust amongst the people whom you lead. Second, integrity brings great influence. A leader with character is the one who will be the guiding force in change. People look to them for what is real and right, because they have proved it. Third, is that integrity facilitates high standards. The higher you get on the leadership chain the more responsibilities you will have and the more accountable you become. Many people, as shown in quote above, have reached a high position, but think that means they are let off the hook for being leaders with character. Integrity, will fix that problem. Fourth, is that integrity results in a solid reputation, not just an image. For “image is what people think we are, and integrity is what we really are.” It is not about building yourself up on the outside, but building yourself up on the inside. If your inside is strong, then your actions will show it. You do not worry about being someone else just to get ahead; you stay true to who you are. Fifth, is that integrity means a leader is practicing what he preaches in his own life before he tries to lead others to do the same. If he has never done it, but keeps trying to get others to, then he will lose in the end. People want to see passion, and that passion lived out. Sixth, is that integrity gives the leader credibility. If a leader is constantly and consistently doing and acting what he or she preaches then people are going to see that realness and will cling to it. Leaders who expect others to do things, but do not do it themselves or continually let their followers down will not survive. Finally, integrity is a hard won achievement. Integrity is not the easy road, but it is the best road. There are not many examples of leaders these days that are known for their integrity, because it means standing even when nobody else is.

Integrity is the most important ingredient of leadership and when lived out will make a difference. People in all areas of leadership must begin to put integrity back into their minds and hearts, which includes your faith, family, personal self, and business. It is especially important for Christian leaders to grab hold of this idea, for our Christian witness is also tied to it. If Christian leaders believe the word of God is true and that Jesus is Lord, in our insides, it will intern lead to our outside. This means that Christian leadership will influence people to become stronger, more consistent, and more sold out believers. As we ourselves are Christian leaders in Young Living we must live out integrity in the way we treat our members and our fellow leaders. We have great opportunity to touch the lives of people all around the world, what an amazing and blessed privilege.