Integrity, Influence and Leadership

There is much to be said regarding this topic. It seems that everyone is looking for a leader, and in different areas of their lives. People are not necessarily looking for persons with titles. They are seeking leaders. Leadership is at its' lowest level when it is based on position only. It grows and grows to a higher level as you develop relationships with others. That's when they give you permission to lead beyond the limits of your job description. By this, I do not mean the process of usurpation or the encroachment on the authority of someone else. I mean taking the company, agency, business, division, department, facility, shop, factory, school or church to a higher level because you are a great influencer. Chiefs, managers, supervisors, superintendents. vice presidents, presidents, commanders, directors and more; are in leadership positions; but, are they influencers? A true leader is an influencer. And, by far, the most important characteristic of the influencer is integrity. Genuine integrity is not for sale. The need for integrity is perhaps as great as it ever has been. And it is absolutely essential for anyone who desires to become a person of influence. Integrity is crucial for business and personal success. A joint study conducted by the UCLA Graduate School of Management and Korn/ Ferry International of New York City surveyed 1300 senior executives. Seventy-one percent of them said that integrity was the quality most needed to succeed in business. As important as integrity is to your business success, it is even more critical if you want to become an influencer. It is the foundation upon which many other qualities are built, such as respect, dignity, and trust. If the foundation of integrity is weak or fundamentally flawed, then being a person of influence becomes impossible. Even people who are able to hide their lack of integrity for a period of time will eventually experience failure, and whatever influence they have temporarily gained will disappear. I would like to thank Rick Warren and John Maxwell for their guidance/insight on this topic.