The Tribe Gathering - Midweek Motivation

“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.” - Brene Brown

It’s really quite a simple question. Do you do what you say and say what you do….. all the time, every time?

In the book, “Spark. Leading yourself and others to greater success,” this distance between SAY & DO is defined this way: “The “Say-Do Gap” refers to the space between an individual’s actions and their words. The wider the gap, the less credible that individual appears.”

Life is cyclical. There are times in which we find success and favor fall in our lap and then there is the antithesis to success. When we find ourselves scratching and clawing to just “get by.” These are truly the times that, “try men’s souls,” because how you choose to get out of those situations is a sign of who you truly are. If you choose to cling to integrity then there is triumph from the trial.

In relation to our equation (Ambition+Passion+Purpose=Hard Work) Time = Success, we’ve established that there are variables that stoke the fire of our passion to lead. We must choose to find joy in the mundane at all times, possess courage to try again after mistakes and failures and the perseverance necessary to repeat that, self belief in our purpose and abilities, and mental toughness when we stare down loss and catastrophic failure versus insurmountable odds.

While those virtues keep our passion ablaze, it is vital that as leaders we’re careful to keep a watchful eye on that flame or else it becomes our funeral pyre. What we must maintain in the space between establishing our ambitions and living out our purpose on the road to success is our INTEGRITY.

Do you lack the volition to live out your values? As the passion to succeed, win, achieve, get a promotion, get a raise, get a job, etc. burns within you, you will be tempted. Think of your integrity as a controlled burn. Eradicating things that would cause you to “go up in flames.”

So, what does your “say do gap” look like? Are you finding ways to win that are ok as long as no one notices? Do you “cut corners.” Or are you upholding expectations and the character of your leadership regardless of the cost?

As a leader, even if you find success and win the day, if you sacrifice your INTEGRITY just to feel good for a moment, you’ve lost everything. In this Sunday’s Mindset I’m going to discuss this further as I focus on what we consider to be the root word of integrity.

Leaders, I know you’re tired. I know you’re exhausted from upholding what is right. The hard conversations are always more taxing than just letting things go. I know you just want to get to your “finish line.” But your purpose and leading your people to exercise integrity themselves is more important than whatever prize is waiting on you. The fact is, leading others to live with integrity is the prize. If you cheat them and yourself, whatever shiny thing you’re awarded with is no more valuable than a participation trophy.

Finish the week with integrity in your word and then immediately in your actions. Measure the distance between your say and do in the smallest unit you can. That’s truly being successful. Have a blessed week.

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