How many times have you bought a product on someone’s recommendation? Or just because you knew that the designer was well known and respected in his/her field?
If you have two job offers offering you the same money and responsibilities but one company is an industry leader whereas the other is just starting off; what are the odds that you would be going for the one which is more respected or known?
And to say it in few words, WE BUY FROM THOSE WE TRUST. To build trust you must be dependable, you must display authenticity, be true to your words; and the book review that follows discusses some of these very issues on how to practice integrity with customers, suppliers and organized labor and other leadership trust building skills that are essential for any leader to be effective and be respected in a corporate workplace.
THE INTEGRITY DIVIDEND by Tony Simons is one such book that you would love to add to your leadership series collection. Tony Simons is an expert on trust in the workplace and in his book Simons reveals the results of an in-depth study he did with thousands of employees at a U.S. hotel chain, proving that the integrity of leaders is key to their success and the financial success of their companies.
Simons has found that employees who believe that their managers can be counted on to keep their word, show deeper commitment to the business, leading to lower employee turnover and superior customer service – which in turn results in higher profitability.
Jim Kouzes in his wonderful foreword nails the truth behind a great and respected leader, he says: when you are credible you do what you say you will do. DWYSYWD. It’s the most important leadership lesson you will ever learn.
The book brings together lessons that we all need to take back home on leadership on combining personal integrity, discipline and accountability that ultimately defines how dependable and respected leader you are or can be.
Simons says; The integrity dividend is power. When you and others know that you live by your word, you become able to shape the world around you in surprising ways. People cooperate better, even if they do no know you well.
What I loved about the book was the summary at the end of each chapter; Simons puts together the main points one must consider or question which forces one to think and self-assess and then brings forwards some points to act on to reinforce your practice into well defined actions. It forces one to think on how much effective we are influencing people and leading ethically and mindfully.
So why must you read this book?
If you are a CEO, manager, leader, entrepreneur, or aspiring to be one of these some day then this book would be a good read to strengthen the basic principles of working ethically and learn that howsoever old-fashioned you may term the words ‘intergrity’, ‘trust’, ‘promise’, ‘living by your words’ or ‘honesty’; they still form the main pillars that defines a good leader. Through simple examples throughout the book you will see how you can solve the day to day problems at the workplace. Simons rightfully says “Building habits of integrity is a challenge. I invite you to take it on, because it pays a dividend.”