in-teg-ri-ty [in-teg-ri-tee]

noun

1 adherence to moral and ethical principals; soundness of moral character; honesty

Integrity, on the surface, can be summed up in one word: Honesty. However when you dig deeper into it, integrity goes so much deeper than just honesty.

In their book "The Integrity Advantage" Adrian Gostick and Dana Telford identify what they call the 10 "integrity characteristics." You have integrity, they say, if:

-- You know that little things count. If you don't lie or cheat on the small things, you are not corrupted by larger temptations.

-- You find the white (when others see gray). You don't make difficult decisions alone. You receive counsel and take the long- term view.

-- You mess up, you 'fess up. You disclose both good news and bad. You acknowledge mistakes, apologize and make amends.

-- You create a culture of trust. You develop a work environment that will not test the personal integrity of your employees or coworkers.

-- You keep your word. You act with integrity to gain trust.

-- You care about the greater good. You make decisions that will benefit the entire organization.

-- You're honest but modest. You let your actions speak louder than words.

-- You act like you're being watched. You make sure your integrity is passed along to future generations through your example.

-- You hire integrity. And you promote those who show an ability to be trusted.

-- You keep on keeping on. You have ethical consistency and predictability.

Copyright C 2003 Deseret News Publishing Co.

That is much more detailed than simply honesty. Consistency is a major part of it. You must be consistent to have true integrity.