Developing Character Through Integrity, Humility, and Inclusivity
In my last post, I shared some thoughts on the importance of character as a key differentiator for today’s leaders, noting that authenticity is one important component of a strong character. This week, I’m going to discuss some additional elements—integrity, humility, and inclusivity—that can help you develop character, and subsequently build trust, as a leader.
Integrity. Integrity is key to a leader’s character because this trait helps earn the trust of others. Because integrity requires accountability, it is the glue that holds companies’ or leaders’ values and principles together. My experience is that those organizations that embody a culture of integrity have less cynicism and a greater sense of purpose and shared connection to the larger organization. The same can be said of leaders who lead with integrity; their teams are more likely to exhibit these same qualities. But how do you measure the integrity of a company or a leader? You do so based on the congruence between their words/messaging and actions. Leading with integrity requires a level of self-discipline and maturity to do what is needed in the long-term or by the wider group, versus what is easier or personally desired in the present situation.
Leading with integrity requires leaders to understand that the buck ultimately stops with them, and that they should take bottom-line responsibility for their team’s performance. It also requires a sense of fairness; your team can’t trust you or feel comfortable with the process if they don’t think everyone is playing by the same rules. One example of the opposite of integrity could be seen during the financial crash, when the public witnessed a number of leaders either avoiding the consequences or walking away with a hefty severance package. If you want to build trust within your team and the wider community as a leader, then you need to show accountability for getting things done in the way that best serves everyone.
Humility. Humility and integrity are closely entwined. At its core, humility, like integrity, is about the capacity to put others before yourself. Despite humility’s importance as a key component of character, being humble and having concern for others does not always align with traditional leadership actions. Big egos, beliefs of infallibility, hesitance to admit a mistake, and/or failure to give credit to a better idea or solution are all roadblocks for leaders who thrive on traditional hierarchical leadership. Leaders who demonstrate humility take responsibility for their actions, as well as for their company’s or team’s success or failure.
One example of a leader who leads with humility as part of her character is Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. Within days of her appointment to CEO, GM experienced a significant number of product recalls—a CEO’s worst nightmare. In Barra’s testimony to Congress, she stated that while this situation did not occur on her watch, she would still take full responsibility for it, rather than blaming others. She stood up to the barrage of questions from Congressional members and vowed to take every action to correct the problem, promising it would not happen on her watch again. Another example of leadership humility that I’ve seen was in a financial services company that failed to make its projected company profits. Rather than trying to justify the situation or assign blame to others, the CEO took immediate action, stating he would work closely with everyone to turn the financial status around. He even announced that he would personally take a pay cut to help rectify the financial situation.
Inclusivity. According to research, many employees lack a sense of belonging, community, and feeling part of something bigger than themselves. These employees don’t feel included. An important part of character as a leader is having the social consciousness to value equity for all, whether that’s working across the aisle, ensuring we have a rich diversity of thought partners at meetings, or creating a culture where people feeling safe and engaged to bring their best selves to work. This may involve accepting a level of vulnerability to open yourself up to differing viewpoints and not always drive decisions—to become familiar with the unfamiliar and share the power with others. Inclusivity calls for leaders to become aware of their unique forms of bias that can limit their inclusion factor.
The traits of authenticity, integrity, humility, and inclusivity may seem fundamental to character and make good sense—but erosion of trust at the leadership level suggests that there is much room for improvement. I challenge all leaders to examine whether they are really walking the talk. Remember, as a leader, you set the tone for others, and your presence is contagious. By strengthening your character through these traits, you have the opportunity to garner respect, gain credibility, and become a true role model to others.
Contact me at info@shambaughleadership.com to learn about ways that SHAMBAUGH can help leaders and leadership teams assess character, and hone in on ways to strengthen your leadership effectiveness and influence others.
At SHAMBAUGH Leadership, we’re on a mission to develop high-performing and inclusive leaders who transform workplace cultures so everyone can thrive. As experts on building inclusive and high-performance cultures, we partner with companies and executives to address the whole system of an organization, unlocking and leveraging the full potential of the entire company. Rebecca Shambaugh is an international speaker on how to disrupt traditional mindsets and create a roadmap for driving greater levels of innovation and performance through a unified voice for leadership. Rebecca is Founder of Women in Leadership and Learning, a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and blogger for the Huffington Post. She is author of the best-selling books It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor and Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results. To learn more about SHAMBAUGH Leadership’s trainings and customized programs in leadership development that help create inclusive, high-performance cultures, contact Rebecca at info@shambaughleadership.com.
Find out more about us at: www.shambaughleadership.com
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