Many businesses select integrity as a core value. They’ve written their Mission Statement to reflect it. Their employees are proud to parrot the word. However, when asked, many employees don’t know what the word means.

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If you really want to be an organization which prides itself for being integrious—for going above and beyond while maintaining highest standards—you’d better define what integrity means. Then educate your employees.

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If your employees don’t keep their promises, how can you create an organization of integrity? How can they perform if they don’t understand that it’s part of their job?

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I think about integrity a lot. It’s one of my top 5 core values. Do what you say you’ll do, when you said you’d do it, and do it to a higher standard than normal. Do you really want to be known for your integrity? For leading an organization known for its integrity? If so, you first must know what integrity means. Then live by it!

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I have to remind myself daily: what I tolerate, I encourage. We need to define the limits of what we’ll accept or won’t. I’ll repeat: What you tolerate, you encourage.

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Define your core business values. Lead with them. Teach them to your people. Discourage what you don’t want repeated.

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If you value integrity, do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it, to a higher standard than normal. Don’t tolerate anything less.