Integrity means congruence. Words and behavior match.
There are people we know whom we trust and others we do not. If we ask ourselves the reason, we will see that congruence is basic. We trust congruency and are suspicious of incongruency.
Studies disclose that many people in organizations do not trust those above them. Why? Lack of congruence. Beautiful mission statements unsupported by practice. The doctrine of respect for the individual disgraced in action. Slogans about customer service on the walls unmatched by the realities of daily business. Sermons about honesty mocked by cheating. Promises of fairness betrayed by favoritism.
In most organizations, however, there are men and women whom others trust. Why? They keep their word. They honor their commitments.
They don’t just promise to stick up for their people, they do it. They don’t just preach fairness, they practice it. They don’t just counsel honesty and integrity, they live it.