Dishonesty—Leadership Trap #6

In my last few posts I’ve been highlighting some traps leaders fall into. While this trap seems obvious, as truth gets redefined by our culture the trap of dishonesty is something vital for leaders to understand, and if it describes them, quickly change.

Dishonesty involves more than cheating, lying, or stealing; it is rooted in deceit. Dishonesty happens when a leader denies reality or seeks gain through deviousness. It is about game playing, manipulation, and pretense.

Dishonesty always destroys the fiber of a company, ministry or organization—regardless of how well the leader is performing. It causes a domino effect as people model the leader’s unacceptable behavior. It causes strife, discontent and a tremendous lack of trust.

Integrity overcomes dishonesty. Leaders of integrity strive to avoid the deceitfulness of appearances. They are genuine, sincere, authentic, and trustworthy—qualities that build the confidence of coworkers and employees in their leaders.