Honesty and Integrity
Walking the talk
Honesty and integrity are often described as the foundations of respect because they reveal the values that guide people and organisations when decisions matter most. Aroshan Seresinhe says these qualities are not simply professional expectations but values that that are shaped early in life, and carried into work, leadership and society.
“Honesty and integrity are fundamental elements of your values. Based on how strongly you adhere to honesty and integrity, society will judge you as a person who actually walks the talk,” he explains.
Respect, he stresses, cannot be forced or commanded: “It is earned over time through every day behaviour. In the workplace, peers, subordinates and superiors look for consistency between words and actions. When honesty and integrity become part of one’s discipline or DNA, they form the basis on which respect is built.”
He cites Nelson Mandela as a powerful example. Despite being imprisoned for more than 25 years, Mandela did not compromise his values or beliefs. His commitment to honesty, integrity and forgiveness eventually earned respect even from those who opposed him.
“The immense respect and regard the whole world had for someone like the late Nelson Mandela is truly inspiring,” Seresinhe notes, adding that Mandela’s ability to place the greater good of the country above self-interest offers a lesson for leaders in every field.
In business, transparency plays a crucial role in strengthening stakeholder relationships.
In this regard, he says that transparency should be among an organisation’s core values, alongside ownership, accountability, teamwork and trust. But true transparency is tested not when circumstances are favourable but when decisions have to be made.
“Being transparent is not about when things go your way. What’s important is that when things don’t go your way and when hard decisions have to be taken, one puts his or her hand up and is transparent about matters at hand,” Seresinhe explains.
Such honesty separates principled leaders from those who communicate openly only when it is convenient.
“Stakeholders are more likely to trust organisations that remain truthful, ethical and accountable even under pressure. This requires decisions to be made within a strong governance framework, without compromising values or creating obligations that make transparency difficult,” he adds.
A reputation for integrity has a significant impact on long-term success but it is not built quickly. “It only takes one small element or incident to destroy this but it takes a very long time to truly build a strong reputation of integrity,” he says.
Those who sustain such a reputation are often looked to for advice on corporate, social and even national matters. He observes that they tend to be decisive, empathetic, fair and firm, without allowing hidden agendas or personal interests to influence their decisions.
At the same time, Seresinhe asserts that rebuilding respect once trust has been lost is far more difficult – because while relationships may be repaired, people rarely forget the incident that caused the damage.
“It is possible to forgive but one cannot really forget the incident where trust has been damaged. That is why it’s very important before decisions are made, to be mindful of the implications,” he suggests.
Embedding integrity into organisational culture requires more than including it in a values statement. It must be driven by leadership and reflected in behaviour from the top down. Employees need to see leaders living the values they expect others to follow.
“Staff need to see this in the behaviour of the leadership and management teams. Then this becomes part of the organisation’s behaviour and DNA,” he says.
Seresinhe concludes by noting that integrity can be reinforced through performance measures that reward values based behaviour and discourage poor practices. When leadership walks the talk, organisations are more likely to build a positive culture rooted in trust, integrity and sustainable performance.
