The fundamental building block of human relationships is trust – that sense of connection, collegiality and confidence that comes from knowing that the people we have personal and professional relationships are honest and are being honest with us.

Honesty is the foundation for trust in a relationship, and trust is necessary for a relationship to function and thrive. When you’re always honest with someone, it tells them that they can trust you and the things you say. It helps them know they can believe your promises and commitments. Honesty is a way of being and being honest is a vital behaviour. Honesty starts with being self-reflective and being able to be honest with ourselves; to look in the mirror and feel proud of what is good and acknowledge what needs to be improved. I fundamentally believe that none of us are ever the ”finished article” and that we must work hard to be honest with ourselves about our thoughts, actions and behaviours – to take ownership and responsibility for words and deeds, and to continually strive to be the best version of ourselves.

Honesty with self makes it far easier to be honest with others. That honesty means sometimes being the mirror to each other so that someone can see what their self-reflection may not have helped them to understand; it is gentle, but it is true. Little white lies to protect people’s feelings tend most to keep them trapped in the dark or to not truly understand themselves or others, which in turn begins to erode trust.

Honesty isn’t just a desirable behaviour because of the ethics that sit with it. Significant medical research has shown that the more honest we are, the more positive our own wellbeing is and our stress levels are reduced. In terms of wellness, Honesty has been linked to less colds, less fatigue, less depression, and less anxiety. It then leads to less stress as dishonesty needs to be maintained and wears down both mental and physical health.

Nobody is perfect and being honest is often very hard. The truth can be painful; but the freedom it can bring us is worth the effort and the commitment. Integrity means telling myself the truth; honesty is telling the truth to other people.

Embrace integrity, be honest, be wise, be your best self.

Dan Morrow

CEO & Trust Leader