Integrity is a big word. Commentators routinely bemoan the absence of integrity, whether in the form of CEOs’ and political leaders’ shortcomings, celebrities’ moral lapses, or the media’s repeated violations of public sensibilities. Few who use the term “integrity” define what they mean. Most speak only about the space left when integrity is missing in action. Without it, any decision is incomplete and more likely to fail.

First, decisions made with integrity are whole. A building has structural integrity when all necessary supporting components are present, solid, and connected, from the foundation to the roof. An important decision requires similar attention if it is to stand and endure. The foundation stones for all significant decisions are our values. A decision is whole and sound when we’ve done the homework and understand what is involved.

Second, decisions made with integrity are coherent. Coherence comes when the reasons we give for our decision actually align with the decision itself. Coherence is not accidental. We create it. When we deliberately integrate our beliefs and actions, we walk our talk. There is more to good decision-making than facing difficult situations with courage, acting with resolve, and believing that doing so is sufficient.

Finally, good decisions are transparent. Without direct, on-the-level communication, integrity suffers. Accountability and trust rest on openness and honesty. When we speak directly and candidly to others about our decision and its impact, we become accountable for our choice. Integrity requires telling the truth, including the hard parts.

It is difficult to achieve integrity in decision-making by ourselves. Reflection and careful consideration benefit from different perspectives. Our challenging, important choices become more solid and complete when we engage others. Even when we can, or must, make a decision alone, our action reaches beyond us. Consulting others can strengthen the decision and increase the chances of successful implementation.

Dog Day Afternoon is probably the best single film on negotiating that you can watch. Millions have seen a very young Al Pacino and Charles Durning turn in virtuoso performances as captor and cop in this classic film. Based on the true story of a bank robbery that turned into a hostage situation, the film shows the local police team trying hard to resolve the situation but fumbling a bit. Then the FBI team moves quickly into action and negotiates with skill and training. The events were re-created with incredible accuracy.

Each of the six basic principles of negotiating is clearly demonstrated in this film. Here is a friendly guide through the negotiation without ruining the film.

Prepare: You’ll notice right away that the robbers are unprepared for the hostage situation. They came to rob a bank, not to take hostages. In fact, one of the team members bails out immediately in a comic lesson about the importance of building a solid team that is fully prepared. Note how the police immediately and throughout the film try to gather information about the man holding the hostages. They use all the resources of the state to find out who they are negotiating against. Within hours, the cops find out things that shocked the man’s mother and his wife.

Set goals and limits: The police set limits before they ever start talking. Their goal is to get the hostages out safely. When a hostage is hurt, they find out how the injury happened. If it was an accident, they continue the negotiation. If it was an execution, they make a frontal assault on the site. Through it all, they never forget their goal, even though they appear willing to do so as far as the captors know.

Listen and clarify communications: This is a constant. Note in the barber shop that someone is always in the background wearing headphones. That officer is monitoring all the communications both ways to be sure that they are clear. He does not speak, but he is an integral member of the negotiating team. Most audience members would not notice. Also, note the body language of the FBI agent when he first meets Pacino’s character. The agent conveys authority and confidence, unlike the local policemen.

Push the pause button: The police have a firm hold on the pause button. One officer’s sole job is to observe everyone’s emotional state. This officer keeps a check on emotions and removes officers before the strain of the situation overcomes them.

Close: The authorities keep the goal constantly in mind. Notice how many times the police try to close this negotiation. You can watch this film more than once. Each time, you will notice something new about the way the skills in this book apply to this type of high-stakes negotiation. It is fun to note something new with each viewing.

Dog Day Afternoon is so instructive that it is shown at the FBI training school for hostage negotiators in Quantico, Virginia.

1. Leadership is critical in codifying and maintaining an organizational purpose, values, and vision. Leaders must set the example by living the elements of culture: values, behaviors, measures, and actions. Values are meaningless without the other elements.

2. Like anything worthwhile, culture is something in which you invest. An organization’s norms and values aren’t formed through speeches but through actions and team learning. Strong cultures have teeth. They are much more than slogans and empty promises. Some organizations choose to part ways with those who do not manage according to the values and behaviors that other employees embrace. Others accomplish the same objective more positively.

3. Employees at all levels in an organization notice and validate the elements of culture. As owners, they judge every management decision to hire, reward, promote, and fire colleagues. Their reactions often come through in comments about subjects such as the “fairness of my boss.” The underlying theme in such conversations, though, is the strength and appropriateness of the organization’s culture.

4. Organizations with clearly codified cultures enjoy labor cost advantages for the following reasons:

• They often become better places to work.
• They become well known among prospective employees.
• The level of ownership—referral rates and ideas for improving the business of existing employees—is often high.
• The screening process is simplified, because employees tend to refer acquaintances who behave like them.
• The pool of prospective employees grows.
• The cost of selecting among many applicants is offset by cost savings as prospective employees sort themselves into and out of consideration for jobs.
• This self-selection process reduces the number of mismatches among new hires.

5. Organizations with clearly codified and enforced cultures enjoy great employee and customer loyalty, in large part because they are effective in either altering ineffective behaviors or disengaging from values-challenged employees in a timely manner.

6. An operating strategy based on a strong, effective culture is selective of prospective customers. It also requires the periodic “firing” of customers, as pointed out in our examples of companies like ING Direct, where thousands are fired every month. This strategy is especially important when customers “abuse” employees or make unreasonable demands on them.

7. The result of all this is “the best serving the best,” or as Ritz-Carlton’s mission states, “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”

8. This self-reinforcing source of operating leverage must be managed carefully to make sure that it does not result in the development of dogmatic cults with little capacity for change. High-performing organizations periodically revisit and reaffirm their core values and associated behaviors. Further, they often subscribe to some kind of initiative that requires constant benchmarking and searching for best practices both inside and outside the organization.

9. Organizations with strong and adaptive cultures foster effective succession in the leadership ranks. In large part, the culture both prepares successors and eases the transition.

10. Cultures can sour. Among the reasons for this are success itself, the loss of curiosity and interest in change, the triumph of culture over performance, the failure of leaders to reinforce desired behaviors, the breakdown of consistent communication, and leaders who are overcome by their own sense of importance.

We have learned repeatedly that there is a pattern in the actions and activities involved in developing strong and adaptive ownership cultures. When an organization consistently builds and reinforces such a culture, it creates a competitive edge that is hard to replicate.

We each have our own job to do, but there may be moments when we can take the time to help others who are very busy or in need of our support in any way. Look for opportunities to lend a hand. Maybe you have a special talent or skill others need. Even if you don’t, a helping hand is always appreciated.

Reach Out to Quiet or New Teammates or Co-Workers

In any group there are people who are more reticent than others. If group members don’t engage such people, it becomes even more difficult for them to open up and become part of the team. Look for opportunities to make these people feel included. Converse with them and seek their opinions. Invite them to join you for lunch or a coffee break. Ask them about their experiences. Find out what they need to be a part of the group and contribute to its success. Help them get to know you and others in the group.

Encourage Teammates Who Are in Conflict to Talk Out Their Differences

One of the most valuable things you can do in any work group situation is to help people who are in conflict resolve their issues directly between themselves. Often a person will keep a safe distance from any squabbles among group members or allow one of the parties to vent and complain to him or her as a safe third party. Look for opportunities to encourage direct communication between the combatants. If someone approaches you to vent about another colleague, listen patiently but try to redirect the person’s energy toward resolving the conflict.

Share the Credit You Receive for a Job Well Done

When public figures receive awards, they typically thank those who helped them achieve success. Such a gesture may come across as just a moment of modesty or social grace, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Others usually deserve part of the credit. In work situations, the same requirement holds. When the credit is shared, the recipients feel appreciated and motivated to support your efforts in the future. Look for opportunities to acknowledge, both publicly and privately, the help and support you obtain from others.

Suggest Team-Building and Problem-Solving Techniques

Have you read, experienced, or received training in team-building techniques such as brainstorming, problem analysis, process checking, and consensus building? Any team tool you may know about may be very beneficial to the group you work with. It is not necessary to be the team leader to suggest a different process. Any member can do so. Look for opportunities where the group may benefit from a process you are familiar with.

Check to See How Your Decisions Might Affect Others

We often don’t realize that a decision we make may negatively impact our colleagues. Review some recent decisions you have made and consider how they might affect others. Put yourself in their shoes. Do any of your decisions create inconvenience for others? Convey lack of interest or support? Lower morale? Cause new problems for others?

Include Everyone in the Information Loop When Appropriate

No one needs to know everything you know or think. However, there are plenty of situations where information you have can be helpful or even essential to others. Even if, at first glance, the matter pertains only to you, consider whether your colleagues might benefit from this knowledge in the long run. Will it help them do their jobs better? Will the information help them to support your own job performance?

Seek Information and Expertise from Others

There are two reasons to seek the information and expertise of others: (1) Others may help you do your job better, and (2) others are recognized for the talents they bring to the team. Review tasks and assignments that you traditionally do by yourself and consider if the help of others will enhance your work. Take stock of the talents of others, especially when they are underutilized, and invite new contributions.

Communicate Your Own Activity So That It is Public Knowledge

Just as information and your private decisions often need to be shared for the sake of the team, simply letting others know about initiatives you have recently undertaken or events you have experienced may be important. Maybe you have encountered an interesting situation that could be shared. Maybe you are involved in a project or assignment that, if shared, would be of interest or benefit to your colleagues.

Inform Others to Support Your Efforts and Ask Them to Tell You When They Need Help

This is the boldest collaborative action on this list. It is critical that colleagues know what you need from them to make you a happy team member and more effective contributor. Giving this feedback may feel awkward at first, but it gets easier to muster the courage once you’ve done it. Be sure to return the favor and ask others what you can do for them.

If you regularly meet as a group with your colleagues, there are additional steps you can take to contribute to the team’s goals. Again, you do not have to be in a leadership position to do most of these things. As a mere group member, you can be extremely helpful.

Sull tells leaders to “avoid marching headlong toward a well-defi ned future and instead articulate a fuzzy vision … A fuzzy vision works because it provides a general direction and sets aspirations without prematurely locking the company into a specific course of action.”

A crystal-clear vision can tempt managers to bet too much, too early. While you’re waiting for the next big opportunity, use the time to look for glimpses of what the future might hold, build up a war chest, and streamline all routine operations so they don’t slow you down when it’s time to move.

Deciding to end the wait and take action is a special challenge because you seldom have all the facts you need. As Sull points out, if you always wait for complete certainty, you’ll probably always be too late.

Organizations with leadership brands take an “outside-in” approach to executive development. They begin with a clear statement of what they want to be known for by customers and then link it with a required set of management skills.

The Lexus division of Toyota, for instance, translates its tagline — “The pursuit of perfection” — into an expectation that its leaders excel at managing quality processes. The slogan of Bon Secours Health System is “Good help to those in need.” It demands that its managers balance business skills with compassion and caring. The outside-in approach helps firms build a reputation for high-quality leaders whom customers trust to deliver on the company’s promises.

In examining 150 companies with strong leadership capabilities, the authors found that the organizations follow five strategies. First, make sure managers master the basics of leadership — for example, setting strategy and grooming talent. Second, ensure that leaders internalize customers’ high expectations.

Third, incorporate customer feedback into evaluations of executives. Fourth, invest in programs that help managers hone the right skills, by tapping customers to participate in such programs. Finally, track the success of efforts to build leadership bench strength over the long term.

The result is outstanding management that persists even when individual executives leave. In fact, companies with the strongest leadership brands often become “leader feeders” — firms that regularly graduate leaders who go on to head other companies.

Adopted from Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood (Harvard Business Review, Jul 2007)

Ordinary practice is not enough: To reach elite levels of performance, you need to constantly push yourself beyond your abilities and comfort level. Such discipline is the key to becoming an expert in all domains, including management and leadership.

Those are the conclusions reached by Ericsson, a professor of psychology at Florida State University; Prietula, a professor at the Goizueta Business School; and Cokely, a research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, who together studied data on the behavior of experts, gathered by more than 100 scientists.

What consistently distinguished elite surgeons, chess players, writers, athletes, pianists, and other experts was the habit of engaging in “deliberate” practice — a sustained focus on tasks that they couldn’t do before.

Experts continually analyzed what they did wrong, adjusted their techniques, and worked arduously to correct their errors. Even such traits as charisma can be developed using this technique. Working with a drama school, the authors created a set of acting exercises for managers that remarkably enhanced executives’ powers of charm and persuasion.

Through deliberate practice, leaders can improve their ability to win over their employees, their peers, or their board of directors.

The journey to elite performance is not for the impatient or the faint of heart. It takes at least a decade and requires the guidance of an expert teacher to provide tough, often painful feedback. It also demands would-be experts to develop their “inner coach” and eventually drive their own progress.

Adopted from K. Anders Ericsson, Michael J. Prietula, and Edward T. Cokely (Harvard Business Review, Jul 2007)