The leaders I know who practice integrity are usually the first to admit they’re wrong, and that’s one of the qualities I admire most and strive to emulate. Part of leading and living with integrity includes mistakes: you mess up, you experience a lapse in judgment, you totally drop the ball. And that’s okay, so long as those moments are followed by an apology, taking ownership or admitting fault, and finding solutions—all of which support your credibility. Way too often in today’s landscape, we see people in positions of leadership and power whose integrity is exactly zilch; they say and do whatever it takes to get ahead, look good, and protect their own interests. Most of the time, these individuals are the last in line with respect to accountability. The blame is always placed elsewhere and a finger pointed outward. I don’t have a lot of patience for these types of people. To me, it’s clear: good leaders in any field, industry, department, company, or job make choices with integrity. They’re reliable. They care about their reputation, not in terms of fame or money or even talent, but related to questions like “Am I trusted? Am I reliable? Am I fair? Do my words match my actions? Do I do the right things, even when they are hard?”
Luckily accountability is a skill you can hone. You can make a mental note of the ways in which you want to stay accountable—which could be as simple as showing up to meetings on time more regularly or responding to text messages within twenty-four hours—or be more public by telling friends or family members about more significant efforts, like following through on promises. This week think about what you accomplished (or didn’t) as well as how you chose to spend your time, and see which parts align with your values and goals with respect to integrity (or not).