INTEGRITY IN LEADERSHIP

By Bernard O. Itebiye

ַ‫ד‬
‫ע‬ ֵ‫ו‬
ָ‫י‬
ּ ִ ,‫כיו‬
ָ‫ר‬ָ‫ד‬
ְ ‫ש‬
ּ ׁ‫ק‬ֵ‫ע‬
ּ ַ‫מ‬
ְ‫ו‬ּ ;‫טח‬
ַ‫ב‬ֶ ‫ך‬
ּ ְ‫ל‬ ֵ ,‫תם‬
ֶ‫י‬ ֹ‫ב‬
ּ ַ ‫ך‬
ּ ְ‫ל‬ֵ‫ו‬
ֹ‫ה‬
(“He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be
found out.”) (Prov. 10:9 [RSV])
“And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is
none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns
away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against
him, to destroy him without cause’.” (Job 2:3 [RSV])
“Show yourself in all respects a model of good deeds, and in your teaching show
integrity, gravity and sound speech that cannot be censured, so that an opponent
may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.” (Tit 2:7&8 [RSV])
A.S. Hornby, in his Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (2006:
776) defines Integrity as “The quality of being honest and having strong moral
principles” and “a state of being whole and undivided.” But much more than these,
integrity can be described as the steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical
code; Moral soundness; Honesty; Freedom from corrupting influence or motive - used
especially with reference to the fulfilment of contracts, the discharge of
agencies, trusts and the like. It is uprightness, rectitude or completeness. It
is, indeed, the quality or condition of “being whole or undivided”.
Integrity is the virtue of basing actions on an internally-consistent state. It
is congruence between what you say and what you do, as well as what you say about
what you did. Integrity is the keystone of leadership. The keystone holds the
enterprise together at its most critical junction, where ideas, products and
services meet the customer. The keystone enables the arch to fulfil its supportive
mission. Integrity enables any organization to achieve its mission. It is the
strength, unity, clarity and purpose that upholds and sustains all of the
activities of the enterprise. Integrity provides this stabilizing dimension by
never, ever, compromising.
Leadership on the other hand, is the process by which a person influences others
to accomplish an objective. Leaders have vision which they share with others. It
is the leader who binds the organization with beliefs, values and knowledge.
Leaders, by definition, set examples for others to follow. But before that
happens, they will have to prove their worth. Leaders are constantly being
observed by those who are expected to follow and whose respect they must earn. For
this reason, integrity and courage define leadership better than any pompous
statement.
Leadership is that important element which separates the extraordinary from the
run of the mill. If you're seeking to become a strong leader, you will have to
show drive, energy, determination, self-discipline, will-power and spirit. Only
then will you be able to motivate others to overreach themselves.
Leaders (people in leadership positions) are said to possess 'integrity' when they
have:
• strength of character
• steadfastness, resoluteness
• the ability of walking the talk and doing the promised
• authentic and straightforward character
• what's on the inside being displayed on the outside
• open, honest and direct dealings with others
• clear and uncompromised values
• clarity about what's right and wrong
• commitments with the courage of their convictions
• principles, fairness, accountability and responsibility
• the ability to balance and integrate the whole
• maturity and wisdom
In other words, Leadership of lasting value cannot exist without integrity.
Management, yes; manipulation and control, yes...but not true leadership which
buys the loyalty of others at the cost of pain to oneself. It is the integrity of
Jesus that made him the role model of a true leader. It involves the three R’s:
Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all actions. This is
the Christian philosophy of leadership. There is none other.
As quoted above, Apostle Paul enjoin his son in the Lord, Titus to “Show yourself
in all respects a model of good deeds, and in your teaching show integrity,
gravity and sound speech that cannot be censured, so that an opponent may be put
to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.” The term used by Paul for integrity
(Creek:  ) means incorruptible, sound judgement, purity of mind.
There is a common theme among experts who have studied or written about modern
leadership. That all leaders must act with integrity at all times. The first
reason for acting with integrity is that subordinates are constantly observing the
lead figure.
A leader is the role model by which the group that they command is most
influenced. Eventually this will lead to a moulding or modelling of the group’s
behaviour. This is why a leader must have and maintain the highest standard of
character and integrity whether on or off duty. Integrity of one’s character will
consist of honour, virtue, allegiance, and subordination. Without integrity a
leader can never garner the respect and confidence of the led.
Individual integrity is never easy, and is never suppose to be. At most it may be
the most difficult of all personal qualities to hold intact because of its
complicated nature and the multiplicity of it dimensions.
There are four ingredients that make up the foundation for someone’s integrity.
Without these factors combining together either the individual’s foundation will
be weak or it will eventually crumble and disintegrate. These ingredients include:
1. Receptive Ability: Can the individual listen to other’s ideas or directions?
Failure in leadership occurs when one acts as an authoritarian leader. This person
dominates and to a certain extent possesses a certain degree of arrogance that is
above the norm.
2. Flexibility: Are you, the leader, a risk taker? Can you think outside the box?
Do you have an active imagination that allows for alternative ways or ideas to be
used in accomplishing your mission or goal? Leaders fail when they become rigid or
unbending in their way of operating or their beliefs? These are the type of
leaders who carry the old timers attitude or simply state, “We can’t do that
because we have always done it this way?” These are very common in the Church.
3. Humility: Can you put the general concerns ahead of your personnel interest? Or
does the leader put a premium on his personnel image (glitter & gold syndrome)?
The leader most remember were he is coming from? If title, image, and being at the
centre of attention appeal more to you, than humility is one quality you do not
possess yet.
4. Compassion: Can the individual bring himself or herself to reconcile a
difference with others he or she is leading? Can he or she be nice to followers
and express compassion and mercy to the people to whom he or she provides
leadership?
Development of Integrity:
How does someone develop integrity as part of his or her character? Were does
integrity come from? The quality of integrity is not a trait that we are born
with; rather it is “learned” as we go through life. Not all (great) leaders come
from backgrounds that would indicate their level of integrity either, instead,
during the process of learning, integrity of the individual is developed. As with
fingerprints, no two people have the exact value system that we live by.
This process of integrity begins when we are very young, usually taught by our
parents, grandparents, neighbours, teachers, and other children whom we may have
contact with. This process can also be taught by reading, etc. The process by
which we develop integrity is also dependent upon our reception senses as well.
How many times have we heard of families who were the cornerstone of integrity and
wholesome living in the community, only to have a child who turned out to be the
complete opposite, otherwise known as “the demon seed or black sheep” In defence
of that example the reverse can be true as well, there have been some who come
from families that have lacked integrity only to have a child who possesses a high
level of integrity. While this does not happen often, it does happen.
God wants leaders to be men of integrity.
"Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves
in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and
sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but
according to God's grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or
understand." 2Cor. 1:12 & 13.

In this text, Paul declares he has no hidden agendas. He will not indulge in
politicking nor does he plan to manipulate anyone. What you see is what you get.
He means exactly what he says, nothing more. No need to examine the numerical
value of the Greek letters to arrive at a hidden meaning.
The word used to translate 'sincerity' in the passage (Greek:  ) implies
that Paul means purity of motives and single-mindedness of purpose. Transparency
of this sort is simply a question of integrity and takes time to develop.
Integrity, therefore, is central to all leadership, religious or secular. Business
analysts, Stephen Covey, in his book “Seven Habits of Effective People”, recently
revealed the importance of character in business.
Covey notes, however, a disturbing shift in attitudes toward character in
leadership in western culture over the last 200 years. He classifies this shift as
Character Ethic versus Personality Ethic. In the first 150 years of the history of
the United States, philosophy of leadership emphasized the importance of traits
like integrity, humility, fidelity, etc. Since World War II, the emphasis has been
on personality traits as the key to success rather than ethics, per se. He notes:
"Success became more a function of personality, of public image, of attitudes and
behaviours, skills and techniques... Other parts of the personality approach were
clearly manipulative, even deceptive, encouraging people to use techniques to get
other people to like them..."
Christians need to be aware of cultural shifts like this and carefully distinguish
them from the traits Jesus calls for in those He chooses for leadership.
In his book "Good To Great", researcher Jim Collins presents his analysis of
companies which grew from good to great and stayed there. He found a quality in
common among the leaders of these companies which had nothing to do with
temperament:
"We were surprised, shocked really, to discover the type of leadership required
for turning a good company into a great one.... Self-effacing, quiet, unassuming,
reserved, even shy- these leaders are a paradoxical blend of personal humility and
professional will."

Note the point: The key quality in common among leaders of companies who had moved
from good to great was humility. He adds,
"[These] leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger
goal of building a great company. It's not that [these] leaders have no ego or
self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious- but their ambition is first
and foremost for the institution, not themselves."
Leadership of lasting value cannot exist without this virtue. This is the
Christian philosophy of leadership. There is none other.

The Caiaphas Principle:

Caiaphas was a man who sold his integrity for the price of peace. He was the high
priest who presided over the trial of Jesus. In John 11:49-50 we read:
"You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one
man dies for the people than that the whole nation perish."
In Caiaphas' perspective, it was better to abandon his integrity by condemning an
innocent man than risk wide-spread destruction by attracting the attention of
their Roman overlords. Was he right? Yes, in the short run. He successfully
averted Roman intervention and national disaster. He must have considered himself
profoundly wise.
The long run, however, was different. Eventually the Romans came and destroyed the
nation anyway. He won in the short run but lost everything in the end, including
his own honour.
Jesus, on the other hand, seemed to lose in the short run. He was humiliated,
crucified and seemed to disappear. Who is King of Kings today and where is
Caiaphas?
Suppose you have a man in church caught in deep sin. You know you must discipline
him. He is a very popular person, however, with wealth and influence. If you
discipline him, it may divide the church. You might lose your job as pastor. What
do you do?
This is a classic test of integrity. If you stand your ground, you may lose in the
short run. But God will give you far more than you ever lost and you will have no
regrets.
There are some challenges that go with integrity:
Your first challenge:
Think about someone you know who has integrity.
• Identify their values regarding work, productivity, matters of right and
wrong, fairness and relationships.
• What do they say about their values?
• How do they enact these values and beliefs? In what ways do they walk their
talk?
Your second challenge:
Ask yourself:
• What's your talk? How do you walk it?
• What are the circumstances that see you keep silent in the face of
violations of your values about work? What are the pressures on you in that
moment?
• How do you think others see you because of what you say or don't say, do or
don't do?
Your third challenge:
Think about how you react when your connections with others are damaged (that is,
shame is triggered).
• Where do you sit on the compass?
• Is your response different for family? Work? Friends? Your boss? Your peers?
• What baggage do you carry that leads you to respond in these ways?
• What about those around you? What is their response to shame?
Here are some suggestions on how you can work on your integrity:
• Understand that your integrity in dealings with others (and yourself) is an
essential component of the bond in your relationships. It delivers respect,
loyalty, commitment and trust. It's a virtue worthy of your interest.
• Find role models who are known for their integrity and watch their values
playing out. Watch their behaviour. Learn from their example how they 'do' honesty
and openness, how they walk their talk.
• Watch someone who is a spectacular failure at integrity and don't follow in
his or her footsteps.
• Find someone known for his or her integrity to coach and mentor you. Listen
to their views and values. How do they wrestle with their sense of right and
wrong?
• Seriously examine these questions. What do you believe in? What are your
values about right and wrong? How did you learn them? What has influenced how you
deal with people?
• Seek feedback about people’s perceptions of your integrity---whether or not
they trust you to walk your talk. Do they know (and understand) your talk?
• Have courage. Integrity is hard work. Be prepared to be disadvantaged
sometimes when you make a stand over an issue, or to be inconvenienced when you
made a promise.
• Be prepared to take the risk of changing the way you deal with others, and
yourself.
• Do what you say you will do. Don't let people down.
Conclusion
Integrity takes courage, but you don't need to be reminded about what's at stake
if we don't have a go at it. Integrity, which includes humility, is the foundation
virtue of leadership. Without it, a 'leader' is no more than a manager at best and
a manipulator at worst.

Bernard O. Itebiye is a Clergyman of the Diocese of Warri, Anglican Communion and

presently doing his PhD in Old Testament Theology at the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka.