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I researched hundreds of leaders who led under the most challenging conditions imaginable in battle, and then, later, in the business world and elsewhere. After studying or interviewing 62 generals and admirals, and some of the nation's top business executives, I found a "prime directive" in leadership.Observe The
"Prime Directive"!By William A. Cohen
It is a fundamental law, which is so important and so powerful that, as a leader, you violate it only at your extreme peril. Millennia of experience demonstrate that the consequences of ignoring this law are many times worse than any short-term advantage. This, the first of the eight universal laws, is to maintain absolute integrity.
Bill Cohen
Integrity has to do with basic honesty, but it is more. You can tell a lie to avoid hurting someone's feelings, and still maintain your integrity. You can even disobey a law. For example, some did exactly that to save Jews in Germany and Europe during World War II.
Integrity means doing the right, or honorable, thing. In fact, honor is a good synonym for integrity. A person of integrity is a person of honor.
Why is maintenance of absolute integrity so important? Because, if the leader violates this law, no one can depend on anything else the leader does. Let's look at a few of the other "leadership laws" I discovered and see what happens if an otherwise effective leader violates the first.
Are you going to believe and adopt this leader's declared expectations (vision, goals, or objectives)? Maybe, if they aren't too demanding and don't require too much effort. Will such a leader's uncommon commitment make any difference? Perhaps, if you believe this commitment to be genuine. Do you trust this flawed leader to put his or her duty before personal interests? Probably not.
The other seven laws are necessary for successful leadership, but insufficient by themselves. They are all dependent on the first. Leadership is a trust. Without that trust, true leadership is not possible. So, if you are a leader, guard your integrity as if it were your most valuable possession.
It is!This MANAGEMENT GENERAL "Ezzay"
© 1998 by William A. Cohen
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William A. Cohen, Ph.D. is a professor of Marketing and Leadership at California State University in Los Angeles. A retired Major General in the United States Air Force, he is also a West Pointer and combat leader. His new book is an MG Top 10 nominee. The Stuff of Heroes: The Eight Universal Laws of Leadership (Longstreet Press, 1998) also inspired award-winning composer Mark Adam Watkins to write a song in its honor.
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