Integrity Matters Broadcasts
February 1, 2005
Cultural Integrity
Dear Friends:
Your organization's behavior, and your own behavior,
is the world's window on you and your values. Cultural
integrity is congruence between what you say and
what you do. Are the behaviors of those in your organization
(including your own actions) consistent with the values
that you stand for? Just as friction burns up engines,
conflicting behaviors erode effectiveness, productivity
and profitability. Cultural buy-in means
consistent follow through in terms of what we do and how
we do it. If the "front line" sees hypocrisy
between the statements of senior leaders and their behavior,
they can be immobilized - or worse, given permission to
behave destructively. Then, when the outside world sees
a disconnect between the plaque on the wall of promises
made and the actual behaviors of those in your organization,
your very own integrity can come into question.
Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, theologian and pastor, stated,
a long time ago, that: "We must stand
for something, lest we fall for anything."
Integrity 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 fulfill
its supportive mission. Integrity enables
an organization to achieve its mission. Integrity 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. Integrity recognizes
risks and assumes responsibility. It drives the realization
of vision toward the enterprise's destination. Leaders
exude integrity.
As many of you know, our next book, "Integrity
Pays" illustrates the positive benefits
of constructive behavior. It literally pays to behave,
personally and professionally, with integrity. In one
of our very early interviews for "Integrity
Pays" an octogenarian summarized the responsibilities
of senior executives, top leaders, with two words: Spread
Hope. In his own success story, this gentleman
became an international corporate giant. He inherited
a family business and proceeded to propel the enterprise
into a global trend setter. He credits his success to
hard work, timing and always giving top priority to the
highest principles of integrity.
To know where you stand, evaluate your answers to the
questions around our Eight Attributes.
If you have any hesitation in answering "yes" to
these first Eight, then let us know.
We can help you sustain an Integrity-Centered organization. http://www.brachercenter.com/services04.html
A university student asked the following questions
and challenged me to "dig deep" for a substantive
response. Obviously, our every action is a model for
someone to emulate. The pressure never lessens for exhibiting
integrity-centered behavior by responsible adults, including
all public figures.
Three questions about the sources and impact
of integrity:
- At what point in your life Mr.
Bracher, did you find out that the concept of integrity was
important to obtain long-term success;
where did you find out that integrity really mattered?
- How did you learn about integrity as
an important aspect in one's life?
- What are the beginning steps towards
preparing and building a good sense of integrity for
one's self?
Sources and Impact of Integrity
Response:
Mentors, role models and friendships. Those
are my answers to the three questions. The first question
asks how I found out about integrity and how it related
to long-term success. The answer is that the insights and
lessons about integrity came from my own observations along
with clear counsel from two individuals who worked in education
and business. Each was to become a life-changing mentor.
Mentors are those caring individuals who come into our
lives with a lot of encouragement combined with a directness
and clarity that challenges us to always become the very
best that we can. To read the rest of the response,
Click here: http://www.brachercenter.com/Questions-Economic6.html
To thrive in 2005, leaders must make fully alive cultural
integrity through individual accountability.
Plaques on the wall will not be enough. Motivational
speakers and workshops will not provide sustained vitality.
Rather, cultural integrity will be
built one transaction at a time with constructive words
spoken, legitimate priorities chosen and courageous actions
taken. Cultural integrity can be as
simple as showing up on time by
honoring a commitment with respect, personally
or professionally.
Click here: http://www.brachercenter.com/columns/2005/2005-1-19.html
One phrase about effective leadership seems to apply
as it relates to cultural integrity. The
challenge is to make a decision and choose to lead , follow or get
out of the way.
Our March Broadcast will address Investment
Integrity. Would you like to know what you
need to do in order to reduce risks related to investing
in leadership teams and business organizations?
Click here: http://www.brachercenter.com/services01.html
Thank you, in advance, for confirming
your receipt of
our February 2005 Broadcast.
We are eager to expand the integrity conversation and
need to know that our efforts are reaching you.
Jim
