Integrity is a valuable quality to portray in order to see success in any part of life, not only personally but also professionally. To have integrity means doing what you said you were going to do, keeping your word, and always doing the right thing despite if it means winning or losing.

Many entrepreneurs and business leaders would agree that having integrity is one of the most crucial, key ingredients to achieving success in business and leadership. Like most anyone, it is likely that you prefer to do business with those who are trustworthy, honest, and transparent, rather than those who are not. Whether it be a B2C or a B2B relationship, you probably seek out those that exude these qualities, and vice versa.

A company built on integrity is built from the top down, starting with its leadership. Effective leaders are integrous at all times, standing up for what they believe in and doing the right things. It is important to note that acting with, and maintaining, integrity does not always bring about a win; sometimes doing the right thing means sacrificing a victory and accepting a loss. This not only says a great deal about the integrity and humility of a company’s leadership, but it also sets a precedent for what is expected from the organization.

As a leader, you serve as a role model for your employees and team. By acting with honesty and transparency throughout transactions or during meetings, it is likely that your team will start to pick up on these noticeable acts of integrity. Furthermore, your team will begin incorporating similar acts into their day-to-day work and interactions with customers. This trend will continue throughout the entire organization and before you know it, your entire company will be operating on this crucial principle: integrity.