Integrity builds trust. Trust builds safety. Safety promotes openness and connection. This is incredibly important to me, and I strive to live my life accordingly.

Integrity, as I define it, means:

• Do what you say
• Say what you do
• Follow up

Do What You Say 

That’s pretty self-explanatory. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Do it to the best of your ability. This is important because…

Say What You Do 

This is important because it establishes your accountability and ownership. It’s about being upfront and declaring, “Yes, I did this.”

Follow Up 

This is a little trickier because it requires you to look at the bigger picture. It’s about considering the broader impact of your actions, what they affect beyond the immediate situation, and whether there are any loose ends to tie up.

Let’s take a look at a simple real-world example: 

I tell my partner, “I’m going to do the laundry tonight.” “Do what I say” means that I will take the clothes to the laundromat and get them cleaned.

I then “Say what I did” i.e., I tell my partner, “Hey, I did the laundry, and the clothes are clean now.” This gives my partner peace of mind and allows them to relax, knowing I followed through.

Lastly, I “Follow Up” by realizing that even though the clothes are cleaned, they still need to be folded and put away in the closet. This ensures the task that started as “do the laundry” is fully completed, and all loose ends are taken care of.

That said, life happens, Sometimes you are unable to accomplish what you set out to do. That’s okay. Having integrity doesn’t mean you don’t make mistakes. We’re human. But when we mess up, it is important to take accountability, apologize if necessary, and make changes moving forward to avoid repeating the mistake. especially after trying out your new ideas.mined the problem in much greater detail, and hopefully this will lead us to a better resolution!