How to Create a Culture of Trustworthy Employees — With Integrity

Always Conduct Yourself With Integrity

In 2004, while at Professional Engineers Ontario, our team adopted a set of core values — professionalism, accountability, respect, teamwork, and integrity. These core values continue to serve the regulator well. “Ethical companies” are comprised of ethical employees doing their jobs each day with integrity.

You need to be fearless with things that are important. Personal integrity is a conviction to do what is right, and reject that which is wrong—regardless of the consequences.

Whether you’re seasoned in your career or just starting out, adopting a mentality that is focused on doing the right thing, even when it’s unpopular, will always serve you well in the end.”— Ed Bastian, CEO, Delta Air Lines

The tone at the top is essential. Its importance cannot be underestimated. Senior executives cannot preach one approach and then act otherwise. However, it is more profound than that. The message must frequently be conveyed that ethical shortcuts are not tolerated.

If you have integrity, you are honest and firm in your moral principles." Collins Dictionary

There are precise definitions between right and wrong in some areas of any business. When staff deliberately acts unethically, the consequences must be swift and decisive. That sends a subtle message from top to bottom that integrity is of paramount importance. I have written that talent management must be centred on cultural fit. The essential processes are to hire slowly, invest in development, and fire quickly.

Business ethics start at the top. However, it cannot stop there. Over time, your right hiring decisions will produce a large group of devoted employees who will “say something if they see something.”

Dieselgate

One must wonder what the culture must have been at Volkswagen for the company to intentionally install devices to cheat diesel emissions tests for over a decade. VW admitted in 2015 that it had equipped about 11 million cars worldwide with the cheat devices. An investigation by the Wall Street Journal suggests that the problems may go back to 2004 when VW failed to disclose relevant emissions information in California. VW made a manufacturing miscalculation and compounded it with sophisticated technology that hid a flaw in its process.

Last year, former Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Schmidt got a seven-year prison sentence. He pleaded guilty to lying to US regulators before the company finally admitted the wrongdoing. In the summer of 2015, Schmidt participated in discussions with other VW employees about how they could answer questions posed by US regulators...without revealing the defeat device. Schmidt was the second VW executive jailed. Former VW engineer James Liang was sentenced to 40 months.

VW's emissions-cheating scandal has cost the company $22 billion in criminal and civil penalties so far in the US alone. About 600,000 of the 11 million rigged VW vehicles were shipped to the US. One must wonder how many employees knew. How could such a large and embarrassing scandal surface and continue for many years?

Integrity in The Workplace

The good news about integrity is that we're not born with it—or without it—which means that it's a behaviour-based virtue we can cultivate over time. We can set a goal to show more integrity in everyday life, and we can reach that goal by practicing specific behaviours, as well as countless others which too often go unnoticed.”—Seth Meyers, Psy.D.

Integrity is not just pressing on a personal level; it is critical in the workplace. Organizations known for their integrity perform better. Having integrity means that you:

• act consistently with your words
• are trustworthy, reliable and honest when dealing with people
• communicate honestly and openly
• have behaviours that reflect values
• admit mistakes
• show that you care to do the right thing

Always act with the utmost integrity. Preach and live this value day in and day out and speak up when it is not happening. It is suitable for business. We have no other choice.

Bosses Highlighting Their Staffs’ Accomplishments and Downplaying Their Own

At some workplaces, many managers or bosses who are narcissistic, sadistic, or even sociopathic. Wherever there is power—someone will be gunning for it. However, the boss with integrity is a boss not because she or he wants to have control over others. Their performance traits make them a natural leader. They are good at keeping things organized, and they handle challenging situations with skill.

Bosses with integrity do not need power. They know they are good at what they do. They also have insight into the fact that they get better financial compensation than other workers. The excellent boss makes a constant effort to appreciate a staff’s contribution and to give them credit for a job well done. Rarely do we see this kind of healthy behaviour in the workplace. We need more integrity from bosses far and wide.

Our ladder of leadership is a performance competency model for leaders at all corporate levels. High performing leaders share a standard set of competencies. Like all employees, leaders need to use their strengths and manage their challenges. In our model, there are ten essential competencies at each leadership level. Leaders only need to have strengths in four of these areas and have a willingness to manage the other six. Having succession plans in place Drive leadership development.

Leaders with Integrity Are Not Afraid of The Truth

Leaders with integrity see the world as it is, not as they wish it to be. They face the truth. Integrity is a critical principle of leadership. It demands truthfulness and honesty. Many organizations fail because they do not seek and validate reality.

Integrity means telling the truth—even if the truth is ugly! Be honest and do not to delude others. When you do, you are fooling yourself, too.

Leaders need to be courageous. However, you also need to be open to the idea that you could be wrong. Leaders who refuse to question their assumptions or conclusions will eventually fail.

Errant assumptions lie at the root of every failure.” – Alec Mackenzie

There is a difference between being confident and wishful thinking. Assume there is a possibility that you are partially wrong or even downright wrong. Maybe you are not wrong. However, opening yourself to that possibility makes you a more effective leader. It will open your mind to new ideas or new thinking. A leader’s job is to find the solution to move forward. It does not have to be your solution.

Why Is Integrity Important?

Integrity fosters a positive workplace culture. There are open communication, evidence-based decision making and a moral compass guiding all decisions and actions. Having integrity earns trust and respect from the people around you.

Your integrity is your most trusted friend as it keeps you on the right path. Make it your goal to be a person of integrity always no matter how many temptations or challenges you face.”—Kathy Miles

Customers want to deal with an organization that can be trusted to follow through with what they promised to deliver. Integrity creates a culture of trustworthy employees and is an excellent brand message.