Winning together: Success happens when there is open communication, trust and accountability. – 123rf.com
In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, competition is fierce and change constant. Organisations are always on the lookout for ways to ensure sustained success and growth.
While various strategies and tactics come into play, the timeless virtues of honesty and integrity consistently stand out as cornerstones for organisational growth.I recently spoke on “The Virtues of Honesty and Integrity towards Organisational Growth” at an executive development programme for sustainable leadership and here’s what I’d like to share:
What it means
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, honesty is “the quality of being honest from the root word ‘honest’: telling the truth or able to be trusted and not likely to steal, cheat, or lie”.
Integrity is “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change”.
Excellent Brain founder and chief executive officer Ofer Lidsky equates integrity with incorruptibility.
In a Forbes article, he highlighted that while many people use the word “integrity”, most do not understand what it really means.
They take it to be synonymous with “honesty” but, as Lidsky put it: “Integrity actually means more than honesty. Integrity, in fact, is a broader concept.”
Culture worth cultivating
In an organisation where a culture of honesty and integrity is cultivated, there is chance of success as there is open communication, trust and accountability, which help the organisation strengthen relationships with its stakeholders enabling it to achieve long-term sustainability.
When leaders of an organisation lead with honesty and integrity, there is open communication, self-awareness and a foundation of trust. Let us delve a bit more into these three aspects.
To get honest communication from colleagues and stakeholders, we have to recognise and reward those who speak honestly. To be an effective leader, we must be open to criticism. We must learn to focus on the value in the message.
As leaders, we need to be self-aware and understand our strengths, as well as our weaknesses, emotional triggers, and areas where we require the assistance of others.
Effective leaders should be self-aware, have emotional intelligence, and know and admit their limitations.
By leading with honesty and integrity, we can build a foundation of trust in our organisations, of people who dare to speak openly and can help advise against poor decisions while providing expertise to complement our skills and abilities.
Open communication
Remember the vain emperor in The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen?
He was convinced by two weavers who said they could make him the finest suit in all the land, one from a magic fine fabric which could only be seen by those who were intelligent and brave, but invisible to those who were stupid and incompetent.
The silly man and his courtiers, who were afraid of appearing incompetent and unfit for their positions, praised the “magnificent clothes” which they could not see.
It was a child who dared to speak the truth and break all pretences that had the emperor standing in the middle of a parade wearing nothing but his pride.
In the story, there was no open communication; in fact, the courtiers and the townspeople were terrified to speak honestly.
As a leader, would you want to be the emperor parading around naked with invisible clothes? I shudder at the thought.
Hence, we must empower our people to speak up, to voice their concerns and to suggest improvements. Honesty and integrity are not short-term tactics but long-term strategies for organisational growth.
While short-lived success may be achieved through deceit or unethical practices, sustainable growth requires the trust and loyalty of employees and all stakeholders.
Essential elements
In a world where organisations face increasing scrutiny and demands for transparency, honesty and integrity remain non-negotiable virtues. These values are not just ethical ideals, but also powerful drivers of growth and success.
As leaders and organisations strive for growth and excellence, we must remember that honesty and integrity are not optional but essential elements of the journey towards a brighter and more prosperous future.
In the end, it is not only about what organisations achieve, but also how we achieve it that truly matters.
Prof Datuk Dr Elizabeth Lee is the chief executive officer of Sunway Education Group. A veteran in the field of private higher education, Prof Lee is also an advocate for women in leadership. She has been recognised both locally and internationally for her contributions to the field of education. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
