“In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” Warren Buffet CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
Last week I was with a group of CEOs and we were discussing the difference between character and values. Are they the same or are they different?
I mentioned in The Trust Advantage that author and psychologist, Henry Cloud, says that integrity is the “courage to meet the demands of reality.” According to Cloud character is much broader than values. In his book Integrity, he uses the terms integrity and character interchangeably.
We often think of integrity as a character trait. A leader of integrity is honest, ethical, fair and trustworthy. Wouldn’t we all want to work for this kind of leader?
And yet, when we apply the broader definition, our ideal leader may no longer fit. You could be a leader with a character trait of integrity and yet not have the courage to address issues or performance gaps that exist on your team.
So, what does this broader definition of integrity entail? How else do we need to think about integrity? When we talk about it in regards to a product, we want to know if it will hold up under pressure:
What’s the integrity of the metal?
What’s the integrity of the weld?
What’s the integrity of the vehicle?
What’s the integrity of the structure?
With these products, we want to know if they will withstand the realities of certain temperatures, weather conditions, torque or other things in order to perform as expected and not fail or cause a disaster.
Cloud says, “There are realities that put demands on people that they have to meet in order to perform and not crash, as well.” The character of the leader determines if they are able to meet the demands of reality.
As you reflect upon an interaction that you had with a team member that didn’t turn out as well as it could have, can you think of a better way to handle the situation?
As you think about a project that you worked on for months and the initial numbers are much worse than expected, what happens inside? Do you get discouraged and want to throw in the towel? Or, does it motivate you to get to the crux of the problem and turn it around?
Or, perhaps you know that something you need to work on is really going to be tough and you know your team may not understand or may question your judgment. There is risk involved. Do you stay the course or give in to the pressure?
Integrity is about being whole and undivided. It defines the structural components of your character. When faced with a difficult situation do you have what it takes to meet the demands of reality and remain whole and undivided?
