Lesson 5: Honesty (John Maxwell Leadership)

Honesty is like a “trust worthy” account and everyday you are either making DEPOSITS or WITHDRAWALS from your account.

There are two parts to a “trust worth” account:

1. Honesty 2. Reliability

Trust is the foundation of relationships.

Reliability means that others can depend on us.

Honesty may be for a moment, but reliability is for a lifetime.

When we fill our “trust worthy” account with honesty and reliability it inspires others to trust and believe us.

It takes a lifetime to build the “ trust worthy” account, but it can take just a moment to loose it.

Honesty requires courage because it is often uncomfortable to tell the truth.

If we are honest, we tell the truth even when :

1. It is more convenient to tell a lie.

2. There is a negative consequence.

3. Others are not truthful.

4. We would benefit from being dishonest.

People know that our word is good and will tell the whole truth. We do not omit any relevant details or information in order to mislead or misrepresent the facts.

If we are dependable in our current obligations then people know that they can depend on us in other circumstances and with more responsibility.

BENEFITS:

1. You will be known and respected as a person of truth. People will trust what you say.

2. You will have a clear conscience. You will feel good about your actions and decisions.

3. You will communicate with influence because your word is trusted.

4. You will have strong relationships because people will have confidence in you.

5. You will find that other people will entrust you with more because you are a person worthy of trust.

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

1. Make a commitment to tell the truth.Honor your commitment by being honest in everything and with everyone.

2. Think about what you say before you say it. Always communicate with openness and integrity.

3. Be considerate when you deliver a tough but honest message. If you are not kind, you are likely to alienate the person you are trying to help.

4. Be careful to tell the “ whole truth”. Do not twist the truth or leave out important information or details. Call me when you have read the whole Lesson for a bonus.

5. Don’t forget that keeping quiet can also be a form of dishonesty. Speak up when you know something that needs to be said.

Honesty is the best policy! If we demonstrate the value of honesty, we are fair and truthful in all our dealings.