Integrity Doesn't Cost Anything
Leaders are low on time, funds, and capacity. But that's not what's breaking trust.
I interviewed a pediatric physician who runs a healthcare nonprofit. She told me, without sugar coating, “the leaders around me always say the thing they’re supposed to say…and then they never do the thing. Over and over and over again”.
They tell you how they plan to show up for their people.
Then they move through their days in a completely different direction.
What she was describing, without using the word, is a lack of integrity.
Integrity missing in leadership is not new.
It goes back roughly to the Stone Age.
Ego gets involved, usually from fear, or from needing to prove something. So they talk the talk and don’t walk the walk.
And they have the excuses ready.
Not enough time.
Not a priority.
Not where my focus should be.
Yes, of course, healthcare leaders are low on capacity, low on energy, low on time, low on funds, low on options (I hear it from literally every client these days).
And still…
You can be low on resources and high in integrity.
Integrity doesn’t cost anything.
Research keeps confirming the same thing (truly, countless sources I could link):
How leaders behave is how employees behave.
Leaders define the culture.
It doesn’t matter what’s in your code of conduct. It doesn’t matter what posters go up, what emails go out, what lines you want playing on repeat like a company-wide affirmation.
What matters is how leaders talk, how leaders act, and whether those two things are in line.
Integrity = aligned thoughts, words, and actions
Or what one thinks, says, and does. Take whichever version you like.
Speaking of lack of alignment…
In the era of AI, it seems everyone feels they have to say something about AI to stay relevant.
Genuine or not. They have to have an opinion.
More likely they have to be using it, especially if they’re building any kind of technology or innovation. AI has to be at the forefront.
And what I rarely (if ever) hear leaders first ask:
Is AI even necessary here?
Or, let’s be honest, is it thrown in for hype, so the organization comes off as important and innovative?
That’s the first question.
And to be clear, I’m very “pro-AI” (if that is even a thing). I’m just not pro-using-something-for-the-sake-of-using-it without proper need.
The second question is relevant if you’re planning to use AI intentionally.
How are you going to demonstrate leadership through the uncertainty?
Why is that the second question?
The abilities, effectiveness, safety, and so many other elements of AI use are inherently uncertain. Not just uncertain, but constantly changing, and therefore require constant recalibration.
So…
If you're bringing AI into your organization, saying why you believe it's valuable is the floor, not the ceiling. You also have to name the risks, the challenges, and the opportunities as you understand them today. Your staff are going through this with you, not behind you.
Are you going to be transparent about what’s happening, why it’s happening, and how things are unfolding?
Are you going to be open and honest about what’s uncertain?
Because if you’re standing at the podium bellowing “AI is going to change everything for the better” while fear sits in every row…
You are not a leader for this era.
A lack of integrity between leaders and the people they lead breaks trust. Full stop. (That’s true in any relationship TBH).
And the ripple effect of broken trust is every single thing we fear when we talk about an operation/organization/company “failing” - however you want to define that.
In the age of AI and rapid adoption, this is where the foundation cracks.
If your thoughts, words, and actions are not aligned, put simply, you’re screwing up.
No need to berate yourself for “yesterday”.
The only thing that matters is how you’re in integrity today. And how you maintain that integrity going forward.
So the question then is: where am I not aligned? And how can I get aligned?
Navigating the era with you,
Eva
P.S. If you feel you might be out of integrity in your leadership - don’t fret - there’s always the opportunity to step back into it. Let’s talk about what it actually looks like for you. 30 minutes, no agenda, no pitch, just a conversation about your specific situation and a clear path forward .