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Leadership Principles in the Bible: Honesty and Integrity

The Bible tells the stories of many leaders and managers:

  • Jacob
  • Joseph
  • Moses
  • Joshua
  • Samson
  • David
  • Solomon
  • Job
  • Daniel
  • Jesus
  • Peter
  • Paul
  • Timothy

Honesty and Integrity
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips – Proverbs 24:26
Judge me, O Lord according to my integrity. – Psalm 7:8
James Kouzes and Barry Posner surveyed thousands of people and found that honesty was the most frequently cited trait of a good leader. Later, they wrote a book about the subject of credibility.

The Bible is full of examples of people who kept their word no matter the consequences.
Noah, Lot, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and the other prophets.
Four of the Ten Commandments (steal, murder, false testimony, covet) deal with integrity and honesty

Dishonesty
Ahab and Jezebel wanted the the vineyard of Naboth.
She got two scoundrels to testify that Naboth cursed God and the King.She succeeded in getting Naboth stoned to death.
Ahab took control the vineyard.

Honesty
David wanted to build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
Araunah offered the floor for free, but David insisted in paying full price even though he could have appropriated the property by executive fiat.

To be a successful person . . . you have to have integrity. Your word has to be everything you’ve got. You must have a moral compass. That’s especially true if you’re a leader because you’re exposed more.  – Charles Wang – Computer Associates

The ethical standards of a company are judged by its actions, not by pious statements of intent put out in its name. –  Sir Adrian Cadbury – Cadbury Chocolates

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