Integrity in leadership – why isn’t it more top of mind for us when choosing our political leaders?

It’s widely known that former U.S. president Jimmy Carter has entered into hospice care. In other words, this 98-year old man, the 39^th – and 1 term only – president is preparing for his graceful exit from life on Earth. Jimmy Carter, who at best had fair to middling reviews for his time in office, is generally regarded by admirers and detractors alike to have led an exemplary life as an ex-president. In his pre-president days, and in his pre-governor of Georgia days, he championed the civil rights movement and decried racial segregation. Those were brave positions to take for someone who returned to running the family peanut business in Georgia after leaving service in the U.S. Navy. His work ever since is fairly well know; basically, over the past several decades he and his wife Rosalynn have been heavily involved in non-profit agencies and their projects to improve the lives of the less well, including hands-on carpentry in building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

It was a cartoon (for lack of a better description) that is circulating on social media in tribute to Jimmy Carter’s life that got me thinking about how integrity such as that exhibited by ex-President Carter is altogether too rare in many people in “high places”.

Why do you suppose that is? Do we just not care? Do we all deep down inside believe that however the person in charge gets done the things that are important to us is just fine, as long as he or she gets it done? Deep down, do we really think that integrity is for wusses and that  the “strong man” type is the person we need at the helm? Deep down, do we really not care if the person in charge is telling different stories to different people, or misusing the public purse strings “just a tad”, or being “careless” in his or her private life, as long as the issues we care about the most are taken care of to our satisfaction? Or that the “tough guy” will keep the “other guy” out of power, and that’s all we care about? Do we all think that being a tough guy – and in the process causing more division within our country/province/state rather than seeking collaboration and compromise – is a better way to lead than with integrity? It sure seems like it these days.

Let’s take a look at what some former and current leaders – political and corporate – have to say about integrity and leadership.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (aka Ike), president of the U.S. from 1963-1951 and Supreme Commander of the U.S. Expeditionary Forces in Europe during WWII, is credited with the following quote:

I’d say that is a profound statement coming from a highly regarded U.S. president, and a Republican president at that, back when the Republican Party was a mainstream Party that was lightning years removed from what it has become.  For example, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Eisenhower would not have tolerated having George DeSantos remain in Congress.  Not based on that quote.

Warren Buffet, at 92 years of age considered to be the 5^th richest man in the world, is also known for his fairness and his philanthropy. He has made his money (and money for everyone who invests in his Berkshire Hathaway Fund) through his well-known strategy of investing in high-quality companies for the long term. Buffet has also been vocal within the U.S. in pushing for people in his exalted income bracket to be meaningfully taxed so as to help pay for people in need.  One of his quotes is:

Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973) won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature for her time-honoured novel This Great Earth (1931), a rich and epic novel about peasant life in China. Pearl Buck spent much of her childhood in China with her missionary parents and returned for significant periods of time as an adult. Back in the U.S. she became actively involved in advocating for the rights of women and racial equality, and wrote widely on Chinese and Asian cultures, becoming particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption (Wikipedia). One of her quotes is:

What exactly do we mean by integrity? The dictionary meaning goes something like this:

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

Another definition looks like this:

So, what do we think? Is, as former President and 5-star General Eisenhower believes, integrity essential for strong leadership? A leader has to make tough decisions – frequently – regardless of whether it’s leading a country, an army, a business, or a nursery school. A leader simply cannot please all of the people all of the time. But, that does not preclude a leader from being open and honest about his or her decisions or decision-making process.  That does not preclude a leader from knowing when accepting perks or “sidestepping” laws, however inconsequential, is dishonest. That does not preclude a leader from admitting that the way the company or government is being run is focusing on making the rich richer and the worker bees poorer, and that it’s time to make changes. None of that is leading with integrity.

So, the question I ask myself is, why do so many of us continue to tolerate – and in some instances embrace – leaders who are clearly lacking in integrity? Jimmy Carter found a way beyond politics to lead with integrity; he’s led by example.  Thank you for setting such a fine example of how to be a decent human being, Mr. Carter.