Over the past year, through our leadership courses, coaching, and consultancies, we have had numerous opportunities to interact with a diverse array of highly placed individuals. During these engagements, participants were often asked to identify three leaders they most admired, spanning historical, contemporary, local, and global contexts. They were also to describe in a word, the quality which in their view made these leaders exemplary. While the names of the selected leaders varied somewhat, one trait consistently emerged as the most admired: Integrity.
This focus on integrity is not without reason. There appears to be an inexplicable rise in unethical behaviour across the globe. Some good people are doing really bad things. And it is worse when some are leaders – men and women in positions of authority. It turns the very concept of leadership on its head. Hence the crave for integrity.
Interestingly, several empirical studies have highlighted integrity as the most highly valued human characteristic, especially in leadership. Janet Hagberg defines integrity as the quality or state of being of sound moral principle, honest, sincere, and upright. It is also a quality of being complete, whole, sound, and unimpaired. That is why people lacking in ethics and integrity can rightly be considered debase – their sense of ethics and morality is distorted, warped or even dead. They can engage in horrendous or morbid acts and yet feel nothing – their conscience is dead!
At the foundation of integrity is Ethics – the moral principles and standards that guide behaviour. Integrity however has to do with personal principles. A man or woman of integrity is a person who has made the personal choice to be honest, sincere, and upright in all their dealings. Yet it is this personal choice that makes integrity difficult to practice, particularly in environments where ethical standards are compromised. The pressure may cause the most principled to conform.
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt sheds light on why even good people can make poor choices. His Social Intuitionist Model (SIM) reveals that moral judgments often stem not from reason, but from emotional, intuitive reactions. This means that our moral compass can be influenced by the crowd. Unless vigilant, we may find ourselves swept along by the tide of compromise—choosing the path of least resistance rather than standing firm on what is right.
The implication of this is profound! It means that if we are going to develop men and women of integrity, we must move from mere rational education or legal threats. Instead, we must work on building a deep reservoir of emotional sensitivity to ethics and morality founded on values and principles. This will cultivate a sharp Moral Conscience – the internal sense of right and wrong that guides one’s thoughts, actions, and judgments.
A strong moral conscience will create a pause in an individual before taking a morally wrong action or decision. This pause many times is driven by Moral Conviction which is the strong belief that a particular action, behaviour, or principle is fundamentally right or wrong. Moral convictions are often absolute and non-negotiable. Without a strong moral conviction, one will engage in behaviour they actually know to be wrong. That is how good people end up doing bad things.
In this new year, the call is to commit to integrity—not as a fleeting ideal, but as a way of life. Let us build our lives on unyielding values, inspire others by our example, and become the kind of leaders this world so desperately needs. Resolve to be a good person, and to stay good. In doing so, you will not only transform your life but inspire others to do the same. The world becomes better, brighter, and more hopeful when integrity leads the way – with good people doing good.
David Oginde, PhD. FCS