Defining a working definition of integrity is important for leaders. Too many times leaders have been fake or become fake and this cripples the effectiveness of an organization. Being transparent means we have nothing to hide. Think of integrity as transparency. We can all probably think of a leader that has hidden something and eventually this something surfaced and destroyed their integrity and momentum.
Two ways that I strive to stay transparent are through self-discipline and accountability. Self-discipline is crucial in any leadership arena and it takes the ability of being able to deny ones self to accomplish high levels of discipline. Accountability is also imperative to staying transparent because it allows us to be real with what is going on inside of our own lives. It gives us nothing to hide.
Practically, these two areas play out like this in my own life as a leader. It simply is the ability to control my actions, emotions and thoughts. Scripturally I find the source of self-discipline alongside some real life training courtesy of my parents and the military. …take captive every thought 2 Corinthians 10.5 instructs us to take captive every thought. The question is not whether we have the ability to take captive our thoughts but rather if we will take captive our thoughts. It is an interesting statement in the fact that we take thoughts captive. The implication is that God has given us the power to conquer our thoughts and actions. He has given us the power to be self-disciplined individuals.
Likewise, accountability keeps us transparent (people of integrity). I have three individuals in my life that I bounce my weaknesses off of to keep my life transparent. When I mess up they handle the situation in grace and offer forward direction and it allows me to stay transparent in the fact that I am not hiding anything. Keeping accountable kills problems at the start instead of allowing them to develop into full blown issues. In effect, accountability is treating the problem, not just the symptoms.