A lack of integrity can devour credibility.

Just think about how people without integrity are described:

• They're a hypocrite.
• They're a liar.
• They can’t be counted on.
• They're lazy.
• You can’t trust them; they say one thing and do another

These character judgments are part of the reason so few people admit to mistakes and lean on weak excuses for lack of follow-through. The fear of being judged undermines authentic connection and camaraderie in many workplaces.

This is just one of the many reasons psychological safety is so important to a healthy work culture. We also know integrity is crucial when it comes to building trust and confidence between team members.

So how do you instill integrity that's empowering, rather than judgement-inducing?

Those are high stakes—and we're only human, after all. So how do we cultivate integrity in ourselves and in our team—without slipping into blame or demanding perfection?

Try this: the Whole Integrity Checklist.

A checklist for practical integrity

Inspired by a concept from Landmark Education, this checklist reframes the meaning of integrity at work as a set of behaviors, not a moral label.

Looking back on the past week, consider these questions. Can you say that you:

☐ Honored your word. Did you follow through on what you said you would do—on time? And if not, did you speak up as soon as you knew you couldn’t?

☐ Honored the work. Was your work complete and done to the expected standard (or better)? Or did you cut corners or subtly undermine it with an attitude of well, this isn't going to be successful, but we'll do it anyway or after all, I just work here?

☐ Honored yourself. Were you truthful and honest? Did you do what you know to do, even if no one was watching?

☐ Honored others. Did you do what others would reasonably expect you to do, even if you didn’t explicitly agree to it?

That last one often catches people off guard.

But think of the kid who says, “You told me to go to bed—you didn’t say I had to go to sleep.” We know better. And so do our coworkers. Culture is built not just on rules, but on reasonable expectations—and part of integrity is meeting them as well.

Check yourself—with compassion

As with all culture work, start by checking yourself.

What boxes are easy for you to check? What boxes would you like to be easier?

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about getting honest about where we’re showing up with integrity—and where we’ve got a gap to close.

Remember, we’re all humans humaning. We’ve all broken promises, arrived late, and had the best of intentions fall apart. The checklist isn’t here to judge—it’s here to help.

From judgment to behavior

This tool helps shift the meaning of integrity at work from abstract values to daily, visible actions.

It gives us a way to talk about expectations and accountability that’s practical, not punitive—supporting a culture that can learn, adapt, and thrive.

If you aren’t exhibiting the level of integrity you want to see, start by identifying the behavioral gap. Then work to close it. Repeat. Fail. Try again. If you can, talk about your failures with your team and what you’ll do differently.

Because when we model integrity as a habit practiced by humans—not a heavy-handed value—that’s when our credibility and our teams can truly thrive.

Want to clarify the meaning of integrity at work with your team?

Explore how our culture workshops help teams build trust, accountability, and a shared understanding of the meaning of integrity at work.

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