Integrity and accountability towards performance effectiveness

Eden N. Garcia

Integrity and accountability have always been two factors in a job that are keys to performance effectiveness, or simply, they are elements to working efficiency no matter what the position is, in whatever type of institution both public and private.

Susan M. Heathfield, in an orline article dated June 22, 2020 , emphasized that "integrity is the quality of having strong ethical principles that are followed at all times. Honesty and trust are central to integrity, as is consistency and accountability."

Heathfield furthers that a person with integrity demonstrates sound moral and ethical principles and does the right thing, no matter who's watching. Integrity is the foundation on which coworkers build relationships and trust, and it is one of the fundamental value. To have integrity means that a person is self-aware, accountable, responsible, and truthful and that their actions are internally consistent.

She adds that people who demonstrate integrity draw others to them because they are trustworthy and dependable. As employees, they are principled and you can count on them to behave honorably and thus, perform effectively on their tasks.

Heathfield emphasized that "a workforce comprised of people with integrity is one where you can trust the staff to perform to the best of their ability. They don't compromise on their ideals, cut corners, cheat, or lie. They behave according to an internally consistent code of values. Ultimately, how effective their performance are become evident, having integrity and accountability as skills and values.

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The author is Supervising Engineer, National Irrigation Administration