Integrity.  We can all identify truly high-integrity people. For example, Professor Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank and Mother Teresa are two people whose work has received widespread acclaim for having high integrity and improving the lives of people. But for most leaders, integrity is measured by the alignment of their intent with their actions.

Just by reading the daily news feed and meeting with customers and partners, we are flooded with a wide array of intentions to interpret.  But the actions taken by the characters that fill our lives gives us great insight into their intent and potentially, their integrity.

What was the intent of Donald Trump when he made a political contribution to the Attorney General of Florida?  What was the intent of that same government official when she took that contribution?  What was the intent of Hillary Clinton when she set up a private email server?  What was the intent of the young technology professional tasked with the job?  What was your intent when you gave a raise to a high performer?  What was your intent when you lowered your price of your product or service?

Of course, most people approach their work with the intent of doing a good job, but generally, when people focus on the outcome of their work rather than the performance of their duties, the results are better. Focusing on positive outcomes means working with integrity. We might say that these leaders are “customer focused,” but what drives them is their integrity and not their interpretation of their job responsibilities.

As you build your team, ask yourself if each member of the team really understands what you are trying to accomplish.  Can your team focus on a positive outcome for the client, for the customer, for the partner, for the employees?

In his book Noble Intent, Fran Landolf suggests the decisions we make at work set events in motion, the outcome of which can be unpredictable. Your focus on a positive outcome along with a noble intent will go a long way in assuring a predictable outcome and ensuring your perception as a high integrity leader.