Integrity, self-agency, dignity and togetherness are the four values described in the Guidelines for Mentoring of the Mentoring Competence Framework. In this article we explore the first: integrity.

Integrity is essential for building trust, credibility and influence. It is about aligning our intentions, actions and values, and in doing so we build coherence and consistency. Acting with integrity needs courage, at the same time it gives us confidence. It is sometimes not easy to live in alignment with who we are and what we stand for. However, if we do so, we feel more grounded and stronger. Integrity builds trust and therefore is essential for everyone who is supporting and guiding others in their personal development and growth.

This exploration on integrity is divided in three parts: First, it’s about introducing some basic thoughts and ideas on integrity. The second parts invites to dive deeper and explore the concepts of three authors, Brené Brown, Martha Beck and Brendon Burchard. Finally, the third part links integrity with mentoring, points out the importance of integrity in the context of mentoring in European Solidarity Corps projects and describes ideas on how to practice and develop integrity.

First thoughts on integrity

Let’s start with your thoughts on integrity. Take a moment to reflect on the following questions…

What is integrity?

integrity /ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/

• the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
• (formal) the state of being whole and not divided (synonym unity)

Source: Oxford Learner’s Dictionary

The concept of integrity is deeply connected with wholeness and honesty. The term originates from the Latin word ‘integritas’, which means ‘one’, ‘whole’, or ‘wholeness’. From the perspective of philosophy, integrity can be viewed as a relationship an individual holds with themselves and which is linked to the concept of acting morally. The opposite of integrity are deceitfulness and insincerity.

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” Charles Marshall

Integrity – according to Charles Marshall – is about acting morally, regardless of external observation or pressure. Upholding integrity shows inner strength and values of an individual and serves as their moral compass. However, integrity goes beyond speaking the truth. It includes taking responsibility for how one thinks and feels and what one does. It’s about the genuine presentation of oneself to others (being sincere) as well as the internal sense that one is a morally coherent being.

Integrity – a cornerstone of personal development and growth

Integrity is especially important for mentoring because we’re supporting and guiding volunteers in their journey of development and growth. Whether we’re helping volunteers to overcome difficulties, facilitate their learning, guiding them through a tough decision, or inspiring them to take bold action, volunteers need to trust in us. When our values, intentions and actions align, we create a sense of coherence and consistency that volunteers can see and feel. Integrity builds trust, and trust effects our influence.

Integrity – Aligning intentions, values and actions

Let’s unpack integrity. Here are five ideas from Brendon Burchard that help you explore integrity. Each idea comes with one or two reflection questions.

#1 Integrity means alignment between values and actions

Integrity is not only about being honest and trustful. It’s about living in alignment with your core values, beliefs, and dreams. When your actions consistently reflect who you are and what you stand for, you create a sense of coherence within yourself. That alignment builds confidence and self-respect because you know you’re showing up as your best self.

• What are your core values, believes and dreams? Who are you? And how do you want to show up?
• In which areas of your life are your daily actions aligned with the person you want to be and your values?

#2 Integrity means thoughtful decision-making

Every choice we make either strengthens or weakens our integrity. Before we act, there is a moment we can pause and ask ourselves: Is this decision aligned with my values? Will I be happy with this choice later? etc. Before we act, we need to consider the impact of our decisions on our well-being, our relationships, and/or our responsibilities. Acting without consideration means risking to compromise ourselves.

• Do you take the time to consider how your decision aligns with your values?
• Do you take the time to consider how your decision will impact yourself and/or others?

#3 Building integrity through consistency

Integrity isn’t a one-time act. Integrity builds over time. It’s a daily practice. Integrity means showing up consistently as someone others can trust and rely on. Keeping your word, following through on commitments, and treating others with respect are all ways to build that trust over time. We trust and respect others that are responsible and stay true to their word.

• Are you consistently keeping your work, following through on your commitments?
• Are you doing this even when it’s inconvenient or difficult?

#4 Integrity requires courage

Integrity is not an easy practice. Sometimes it is inconvenient, difficult or even hard to do. Living with integrity means making tough choices: standing up for what’s right, even when it’s unpopular or uncomfortable. It’s about refusing to compromise your values, even when there is pressure to do so. It requires courage to act in alignment with your principles and values.

• Where in your life do I need to summon more courage to stand up for what I believe in?

#5 Integrity is the foundation of Influence

Integrity is about trust and credibility, but also influence. Integrity attracts other individuals. When you’re authentic and consistent as a coordinator, mentor, trainer, coach, etc., others feel safe to follow your lead. Here, integrity goes beyond doing what’s right. It’s about inspiring others to do the same by modeling it with your own behaviour.

• How are you living and demonstrating integrity in your daily life?
• How could this be a way for others that inspires trust and respect?

“Integrity is about building a life you’re proud of, one decision at a time. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about striving to align your actions with your values, even when it’s hard.” Brendon AI

Integrity, a strength and virtue

“I am honest to myself and to others, I try to present myself and my reactions accurately to each person, and I take responsibility for my actions.” – Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman

Honesty is closely connected with integrity. Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman are best known for their comprehensive research and classification of character strengths and virtues. Although integrity is not part of this list, they defined integrity as:

• a behavior that is consistent with matching values (‘practicing what you preach’),
• an acknowledgment of moral convictions, even if those convictions are not popular (integrity needs courage).
• treating others with care, e.g. by helping those in need, being sensitive to the needs of others

Integrity is a personal strength, however integrity is also a strength that motivates others to social action.

Integrity goes beyond speaking the truth and taking responsibility for how one thinks and feels and what one does. Integrity “includes the genuine presentation of oneself to others (being sincere) as well as the internal sense that one is a morally coherent being.” – Ben Dean (Integrity)

Jessica Koehler (The Integral Role of Integrity)presents several research studies that show the essential role of integrity. Research shoes that integrity has a high correlation with:

• increased self-esteem and life satisfaction,
• mental health and emotional stability,
• the quality of social health and relationships,
• a positive work environment characterized by trust, job satisfaction, and employee engagement,
• individual well-being and a more supportive and prosperous society for all.

What other’s write about integrity

Let’s dive a bit deeper and explore the work of three other authors and their thoughts on integrity: Brené Brown, Martha Beck and Brendon Burchard.

“Courage over Comfort”: Brené Brown on integrity

“I, Integrity. I cannot trust you and be in a trusting relationship with you if you do not act from a place of integrity and encourage me to do the same.” – Brené Brown

What a strong statement! Integrity is about honesty and a trustful relationship. It’s now only about me, but also the other person. And it needs courage, lot’s of courage to act from a place of integrity.

In her speech “The Anatomy of Trust” at UCLA’s Royce Hall in 2015, Brené Brown breaks down trust into easy-to-remember parts using the acronym BRAVING: boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, nonjudgment, and generosity. BRAVING helps to understand better what trust actually is, how to build trust, and become more trustworthy.

So, what’s integrity? – First of all, integrity is a choice. It’s a decision we make. And this decision is an effort, every time, every moment we take another decision. The easy choice is comfort. We have the freedom to choose what is fun, fast and easy for us. The difficult choices need courage. It’s a decision to choose and act on what is right. Our choices means practicing our values and live into them.

”Here’s what I think integrity is. Three pieces. It’s choosing courage over comfort, choosing what’s right over what’s fun, fast, or easy, and practicing your values, not just professing your values, right? I mean, that’s integrity.” – Brené Brown

“I am meant to live in peace”: Martha Beck on integrity

“What combination of words best connects us with our integrity. After trying many different statements, I found that ‘I am meant to live in peace’ rings the chime of truth more loudly and reliably than anything else.” – Martha Beck

Martha Beck is an author, life coach and sociologist. To her, integrity means being in harmony with ourselves, it’s the “cure for psychological suffering” and the key to a peaceful, meaningful and joyful life.

Inspired by “The Divine Comedy”, Martha Beck developed a four-stage process that anyone can use to find integrity, and with it, a sense of purpose, emotional healing, and a life free of mental suffering. She breaks Dante’s hero journey down into a process of manageable steps and reflection activities. She guides her readers to realise when and how they depart from their true path and to read internal signals that lead them towards their true path. “Departing from your truth in any way, no matter how small, splits you into two people: what I call the ‘truth knower’ and the ‘lie actor’.” (Martha Beck, The Way of Integrity) This duality is the opposite of integrity. And living into integrity means expressing and doing what’s true in all situations.

“Know what you really know, feel what you really feel, say what you really mean, and do what you really want.” – Martha Beck

Realign with your values: Brendon Burchard on integrity

“Alignment is awareness in action” – Wayne W. Dyer

Very often, we depart from our true path and – according to Martha Beck – disintegrate and create a duality in our personality that leads to suffering.

If your actions and values don’t align, it creates a deep sense of internal conflict. You might feel ‘off’, like something isn’t right, and over time, that disconnect can lead to frustration, regret or even burnout. Your sense of self-trust and purpose is eroding and you might lose confidence: you stop believing in yourself, and you might even start questioning your worth because you’re living out of synchronisation with who you truly are.

Being out of alignment – according to Brendon Burchard – is like carrying around a weight you cannot see. It drains your energy, clouds your clarity, and makes it harder to show up fully in your relationships, at work, and in life. And the longer you stay in that state, the harder it becomes to reconnect with your authentic self because you start normalizing the misalignment. You might even convince yourself, ‘This is just how life is’, when deep down, you know it’s not.

How can we get back on track? What would be small actions that get you back to integrity? – Brendon Burchard suggests 3 steps to get back on track: 1. Pause and reflect, where we feel out of alignment. 2. Reconnect with your core values and 3. identify the smallest action that ensure realignment.

A misalignment of actions and values is not a failure — it’s feedback. It’s your soul saying, ‘Hey, something’s off. Let’s fix this.’ And the beauty of it is, every small step you take toward integrity strengthens your sense of self and purpose.

Integrity & Mentoring

Let’s start with a short self-assessment before we explore what is in the Mentoring Competence Framework. After that it’s all about how to live more into integrity or how to develop and strengthen it.

Integrity. A Self-assessment on Mentoring Values

Check out the following self-assessment. It allows you to check-in with your values related to mentoring. Click the link, download the self-assessment worksheet and follow the instructions (and come back afterwards!).

Download the assessment here: Mentoring Values: Integrity Self-assessment

Done? Great!

The statements refer to the guidelines of mentoring on integrity from the Mentoring Competence Framework. Let’s have a closer look…

Mentoring Guidelines: Integrity

In the Mentoring Competence Framework the guidelines for mentoring are conceptualised as values (= heart), mindset (= mind) and a code of conduct (= hand).

• Values (= heart) are a set of principles and standards that guide our behaviour and actions.
• Mindset (= Mind) is a set of intentions and beliefs that help us to orient in our decisions and actions.
• Code of Conduct (= Hand) is a set of (written) rules and guidelines for quality mentoring.

Here we go…

[Values] We value honesty and trustworthiness. We commit to high standards and strive for authenticity.

[Mindset] We intend to provide volunteers with support and guidance that help improve their well-being, learning and development. With our behaviour and actions we are setting a positive example for our volunteers.

[Code of conduct] We uphold high-quality standards in mentoring. We maintain confidentiality, and set and respect boundaries for ourselves and others, with safeguarding being at the heart of our practice, ensuring the safety and well-being of all volunteers.

Which of these statements inspire you to strengthen integrity?

Go back and have a look at your integrity self-assessment.

Integrity: Aligning with individual, organisational and programme values

So far we’ve underlined the importance of aligning actions with one’s own values. However, as a coordinator, mentor, coach or trainer it is also important to commit to the values of your organisations and the European Solidarity Corps programme.

Mentoring isn’t just about personal integrity, it’s also about embodying the values of your organization and the EU Solidarity programme, and even in a larger sense with the values and principles of Non-formal Learning and International Youth Work. When you step into the role of a coordinator, mentor, coach or trainer, you’re not just aligning your intentions and actions with your personal values, you’re also with the mission, principles, and commitments of the larger entity you’ve chosen to serve.

Sounds complicated, but this what makes mentoring so powerful and impactful. As a coordinator, mentor, coach or trainer you are creating a bridge to the values of the organization and the programme: You are translating solidarity, respect, inclusion, growth, etc. into real, lived experiences for the volunteers you’re supporting. If your actions don’t reflect those values, it creates a disconnect. And that disconnect can erode trust, not just in you, but in the organisation and the programme.

On the other side, if you do align your actions with both your personal values and the organization’s, you create coherence. People see that you’re not just talking about values, you’re living them. That’s where integrity shines brightest.

Strategies to develop integrity

How can we develop integrity as coordinators, mentors, trainers and coaches? What would be helpful strategies we can apply? What exercises can we use? What habits related to integrity could we develop?

Integrity means also taking uncomfortable actions. It’s about showing up as the person you aspire to be, even when it’s inconvenient or hard. Developing integrity is a commitment to living in alignment with your values, and that means adopting strategies, tactics, and habits that reinforce that alignment. And this commitment daily practice. Brendon Burchard lists five strategies to develop integrity:

#1 Clarify your core values – You can’t live with integrity if you’re unclear about what you stand for. Take time to define your most important values. Ask yourself:

• What truly matters to me?
• What kind of person do I be?

Write these values down and revisit them often. They are your compass.

#2 Align your intentions and goals with your values – If your goals don’t reflect your values, you’ll always feel out of sync. For example, if you value inclusion but your work doesn’t reflect that, it’s time to adjust your approach. Aligning your intentions and goals with your values ensures you’re working toward something meaningful.

#3 Practice self-awareness – Integrity starts with noticing when you depart from your path, when you’re out of alignment. Here are two questions to reflect on daily:

• Did my actions today reflect my values?
• Where did I fall short, and how can I improve tomorrow?

Consistent self-reflection helps to keep you accountable and you are able to adjust your course and come back to your path.

#4 Commit to honesty – Being honesty with yourself and others is the foundation of integrity. This means avoiding even small lies or excuses. Don’t pretend to be someone else, be you! When you’re tempted to bend the truth, or show up as someone else, pause and ask yourself: ‘What would my best self do here?’

#5 Take responsibility – Integrity means owning your mistakes and learning from them. When you mess up (and we all do!), don’t blame yourself and beat yourself up. Instead, acknowledge it, apologize if necessary, and take steps to make it right. This builds trust with yourself and others.

Closing: One step towards integrity

What’ is one value you want to focus on this week and what’ could be one small action you can take today to live it out?  – Let’s make it happen!

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Resources

Here are a list of articles and wesites, if you would like to explore the topic of integrity:

Integrity

Integrity, Ben Dean, Authentic Happiness

The Integral Role of Integrity. How living in congruence with your values improves overall wellness, by Jessica Koehler, Psychology Today

Integrity, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2021

Integrity & Mentoring

Mentoring Guidelines, in: Mentoring Competence Framework

Brené Brown

The Anatomy of Trust by Brené Brown 2015; Video and transcript

Martha Beck

The Way of Integrity: Finding the path to your true self; by Martha Beck, Piatkus 2021

The Integrity Cleanse for Beginners by Martha Beck

How to Do an Integrity Cleanse – Martha Beck; Tim Ferris Podcast

The Amazing and Brutal Results of Zero Lies for 365 Days — Martha Beck; Tim Ferris Podcast

Martha Beck: The Way of Integrity & Why You Should STOP Doing What You’re “Supposed to”; The Marie Ferleo Podcast

Brendon Burchard

Brendon AI via growthday or via Delphi AI

How to Stick to Your Word (Integrity!) (video and summary) by Brendon Burchard

Last visited: June 2025