According to the Oxford English Dictionary, integrity is “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.” In theory it’s a simple word. But in the workplace, it can be one of the hardest traits to maintain – especially in leadership.
How do leaders stay true to their values despite urgent decisions, conflicting priorities, and everyday pressures? How do they balance what is easy with what is right – and make integrity part of daily operations?
At Chubb Fire & Security, integrity is one of our core values. In fact, it is built into the way we lead. “Winning Together with Integrity” is one of five guiding principles that shape how we appear to our customers, our colleagues and our community.
For SME leaders, leading with integrity is more than a personal virtue; It’s a business strategy. When done well, it builds trust, strengthens culture and creates the conditions in which teams and companies thrive.
Why integrity matters in business
When we think of integrity, we often think of character. But in business, integrity has real commercial consequences – for performance, reputation and resilience.
A Forbes article from 20231 states, “Integrity is not just a moral compass. It is a business differentiator.” It promotes trust, credibility and long-term loyalty – all qualities essential in high-pressure leadership positions and entrepreneurial environments.
Trust is a currency, especially for SMEs. With smaller teams and closer customer relationships, any loss of integrity becomes more noticeable – and often more personally – than in a larger organization.
Integrity creates consistency. It sets the tone for how people interact, how decisions are made, and how conflict is handled. And when employees trust their leaders to be honest and fair, they are more likely to stay, stay engaged, and do their best work.
Chubb’s approach: Lead with values every day
At Chubb, integrity is not a leadership style. It’s part of our culture.
Our value of “Winning Together with Integrity” is more than just words on the wall. It is reflected in how we work together, how we make decisions and how we enable each other to achieve top performance together.
This is part of our larger philosophy of “Building Great Leaders” – the belief that everyone is a leader and everyone deserves a great leader. This means creating an environment in which people feel safe to express their opinions, take responsibility and make decisions with confidence.
We don’t expect perfection. But we expect people to own what they do, think forward and lead with integrity at all levels.
Four ways SME leaders can lead with integrity
To lead with integrity, you don’t need a company manual or a values committee. In fact, the most powerful expressions of integrity often occur in the small, everyday moments.
Here are four ways SMB leaders can put integrity into practice:
Be honest, even if it’s uncomfortable
Integrity starts with honesty, especially when breaking difficult news or admitting you don’t have all the answers. Avoid overpromising. Communicate transparently and keep your promises. If plans change, explain why.
Lead by example, not just instructions
People follow what leaders do, not just what they say. Your daily behavior sets the tone for the team. If you expect responsibility, model it. If you value collaboration, you will be seen doing so.
Apply standards consistently
One of the quickest ways to undermine trust is to make exceptions, especially with senior leaders or long-time employees. Make sure your rules, guidelines and recognition are applied fairly. Integrity is about doing the right thing, even when it is inconvenient.
Welcome challenge and invite feedback
Integrity is not about always being right. It’s about being open to feedback and being willing to act on it. Create a culture where employees can raise concerns or contribute ideas without fear. Then show that their voices lead to action.
How integrity strengthens trust and culture
Culture is shaped by what leaders reward, tolerate and ignore. When leaders cut corners, others will follow. But when managers consistently act with integrity (admitting mistakes, communicating honestly and acting fairly), it creates psychological safety and strengthens team cohesion.
For SMEs, where people work closely together and often take on multiple tasks, this sense of trust is crucial. It makes teams more resilient, more collaborative and more loyal.
At Chubb, we’ve seen this firsthand. Leaders who live our values create stronger teams – not just in terms of performance, but also in how employees feel about their work. When integrity is lived and not just talked about, it becomes part of the company’s DNA.
The conclusion
Integrity is one of the strongest traits a leader can have – and one of the most visible. People notice when leaders show consistency, tell the truth, admit mistakes, and make decisions based on shared values.
For SMEs, leading with integrity is more than just a good reputation. It builds trust, attracts talent and creates long-term cultural strength.
At Chubb, integrity is the way we work together, purposefully and responsibly. Because when leaders lead with integrity, they don’t just win. They bring others with them.
