[Source ](https://www.google.com.ng/search?ei=MdBNXLfcJ4vEwQKf4AI&q=Pictures+of+business+men+shaking+hands+&oq=Pictures+of+business+men+shaking+hands+&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.12..0i13i30j0i22i10i30j33i22i29i30.8812.22998..24776...0.0..0.742.7804.0j1j8j6j4j2j1......0....1.........0i71j41j0j0i67j0i131j0i22i30j33i21j33i160.CESxVvqUb7A#imgdii=pgiUvovgBT-9aM:&imgrc=AXiGxALlOaS9_M:) ###

Having honesty and integrity in the business is one of the most important qualities of great leadership in business. Integrity means doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do

*** *** ## OUTLINE: 1 Integrity in business and how it translates to success 2 Great leaders never compromise their honesty and integrity by cheating 3 Importance of integrity in giving and keeping promises 4 Leaders with integrity aren’t afraid of the truth 5 The true mark of leadership 6 Traits of businesses that commit to a code of ethics and to operating with integrity *** *** ### 1 INTEGRITY IN BUSINESS AND HOW IT TRANSLATES TO SUCCESS Having honesty and integrity in the workplace is one of the most important qualities of great leadership in business. Leaders know that honesty and integrity are the foundations of leadership. Leaders stand up for what they believe in. Let me pause to tell you about Jon Huntsman, Sr. a multibillionaire who started a chemical company from scratch and grew it into a $12 billion enterprise. Jon Huntsman, Sr. wrote a book titled, Winners Never Cheat. In this book, he narrated his own experiences in which he steadfastly refused to compromise his principles. According to him, integrity is the reason that he has been as successful as he is. “There are no moral shortcuts in the game of business or life,” he writes. “There are, basically, three kinds of people, the unsuccessful, the temporarily successful, and those who become and remain successful. The difference is character.” *** ### 2 GREAT LEADERS NEVER COMPROMISE THEIR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY BY CHEATING Integrity means doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. Leaders with integrity may not be the most famous or flashy of leaders, and they don’t care. Integrity means doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do, and that’s what makes success. There should be no exceptions to honesty and integrity. Integrity is a state of mind and is not situational. *** ### 3 IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY IN GIVING AND KEEPING PROMISES Leaders keep their promises. They give promises carefully, even reluctantly, but once they have given that promise, they follow through on that promise without fail, and they always tell the truth. A leader who promises and fails to fulfill, is a leader who surrounds himself with people who will say what he wants to hear instead of saying the truth. *** ### 4 LEADERS WITH INTEGRITY AREN’T AFRAID OF THE TRUTH Leaders with integrity are bold to tell the truth and defend it. They see the world as it really is, not as they wish it to be. Integrity means telling the truth even if the truth is ugly. Being a leader doesn’t mean that everything you say is right. You have to be open to followers’ opinions, give fair judgment and draw your conclusions. *** ### 5 THE TRUE MARK OF LEADERSHIP There should be no exceptions to honesty and integrity. Integrity is a state of mind and is not situational. Leaders with integrity always err on the side of fairness, especially when other people are unfair. As a matter of fact, the true mark of leadership is how fair you can be when other people are treating you unfairly. *** ### 6 THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW TRAITS OF BUSINESSES THAT COMMIT TO A CODE OF ETHICS AND TO OPERATING WITH INTEGRITY: ### i) THEY ARE HONEST AND TRUTHFUL TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS, EVEN WHEN IT HURTS Honesty is painful at times; because it requires some vulnerability which most of us have a hard time with. *** ### ii) THEY DON’T MAKE PROMISES THEY CAN’T KEEP Many businesses are great at making outrageous claims and promises, but few of them are able to back it up. This is only going to hurt you in the long run. *** ### iii) THEY DON’T TAKE SHORT-CUTS Businesses with integrity already know there are no short-cuts. Building a successful business takes time, it takes energy, tears, and a heck of a lot of hard work. *** ### iv) THEY TREAT THEIR TEAM WITH RESPECT Part of being excellent is being a leader your team could respect. Part of being a leader your team could respect is respecting your team. It’s a win-win. Building a business with integrity starts first with you. *** ### v) THEY RAISE THE STANDARD Operating with integrity doesn’t just lift you up, it raises the bar for other businesses within your industry as well. They can’t compete with you if they can’t be as honest as you. Customers and clients value honesty and trust every bit as much in their business relationships as they do in their personal ones. *** ### vi) THEY VALUE THEIR REPUTATION This doesn’t mean they kowtow to the public in order to maintain an ‘image’, it just means they strive to present themselves in a way that puts their best foot forward. However, they will never put their reputation above honesty and trust, even if that means they might temporarily have to look bad, in order to ultimately look good. *** *** ### REFERENCES: 1 [Entrepreneur](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/282957) 2 [Freshbooks](https://www.freshbooks.com/blog/integrity-in-business-why-its-important) *** ***  designed by me *** ## Follow @drstarry for daily Business Tips ## Thanks for reading!  Credit to me