Tag: Integrity

The Power of Integrity: How Keeping Your Word Boosts Workplace Trust

Published on by Kieran Johnson - The Generosity GuyLeave a comment

One of the values that I align my life with is integrity – and by my definition it means ‘doing what I say I’m going to do’.

I think it is dramatically underestimated as a strength, and I have witnessed that across my career in different sectors.

We underestimate what it means to others when we put our hand up, or have something thrust upon us and commit ourselves to it. Especially in the workplace.

Some have said, “Isn’t that just doing your job? Why is that so special?”  which is a great question. It probably shouldn’t be considered a special effort, but it is because not everyone does it.

As James Clear said, “Delivering your work on time can be a form of generosity. You make life easier for everyone downstream.”

Yep, it is just doing your job. It is just doing what you said you were going to do. It is just living with integrity. But the positive impact it has on other people is significant, not only by making their job easier as they don’t have to chase you for the stuff they are waiting on so they can do it, but for the trust it builds within your organisation.

It’s a little thing. But it’s a big act of generosity.

Character Matters

Published on by Kieran Johnson - The Generosity GuyLeave a comment

“How you do anything is how you do everything.” Unknown

I have been struggling with the rise and fall of leaders in our world, and trying to identify which leaders I think are worth emulating. There are those that seem to have a large following, who talk a big game and appear to move heaven and earth to get what they want. But I dislike them greatly – which got me thinking, “Am I crazy? Am I missing something? Maybe what I think is a great leader is wrong?”

Then it hit me, in two words what I had trouble articulating for such a long time.

Character matters.

How you do things matters. How you treat people in your day to day interactions matters.

Character is who you are when no one is looking. Character shows up in how you behave when things are not going your way, or according to your plan.

If character matters, then that would mean the Machiavellian way, geting things done using whatever means possible, even if that requires destroying other people in the process, is not okay.

There is a way to lead without trampling others under foot. There is a form or leadership that genuinely would want to let go of power if it was for the benefit of those it is leading. That is the kind of leader I would follow and seek to emulate. There are only of handful of examples of this sort of leadership that come to mind…