Each day I retreat to my office to write a new blog post. And each day, I stare at a plaque I keep on my wall that says:

But, integrity is often a misunderstood word. What I like about the plaque above, is that it implies that integrity is innate, meaning inside of you. If you are a person of integrity, you will be so, even when people aren’t watching you.

How often have you seen somebody pretend to care, pretend to be ethical and pretend to be an upstanding person? But when no body was looking, their true character came out and they did something the complete opposite.

Deciding to be a person of integrity is a decision that will impact every areas of your life and is based upon the millions of choices you make each day. It is about staying true to your values and living a life of unwavering ethics and a commitment to do the right thing.

Here are 7 ways to do that:

1. Say what you do and do what you say! Keep your promises. When you do not follow through on the things you commit to, you lose all credibility.
2. Be Honest. When you communicate, be sure to tell the truth, even if it is difficult. People understand life is challenging and we are only human.
3. Don’t gossip. It is so easy to get caught up in others drama. It even can make you feel better at times, but take the high road, and refrain from participating in gossip. – Walk away.
4. Manage your reputation. My mother use to say “you are only as good as the people you know” – Yes, we call this an Ann-ism in my house. But she is right. You are the average of the top 5 people you hang out with. Make sure they have similar values and ethics.
5. Care about others. It isn’t always about you. Reach out and show genuine interest in another. Care about who they are and what they do every day. Who is in their lives and what is important to them.
6. It’s the little things that matter. Your attention to detail is critical. It is difficult to exercise influence over others when your own life is filled with clutter and noise. Pay attention to returning calls and emails. Saying Happy Birthday to those that matter and saying thank you every once in awhile. It goes a long way.
7. Be true to yourself. You are the only thing you have control over. Be true to yourself and be comfortable with saying no. Your integrity will be challenged many times in your career and it is how you respond that will determine if you are a person of integrity.

Tell me about a time when you felt your integrity was being questioned? What happened and how did you respond. – Leave a comment below.