You are either honest or you are not. There are no shades of honesty, no degrees of truthfulness. To be a person of honesty means to die to our natural impulses to cut ethical corners, to fabricate and scheme for personal gain, and to cheat our way to success. To be a leader, you must be trusted, and truth is the key to trust. Get caught in one dishonest act – one lie, one theft, one fraud – and you have destroyed trust forever. Once trust is damaged, it is very hard to restore.
Paradox of Power by Pat Williams
