When I think about my years at the Housing Authority, one of the clearest patterns I saw was leadership without integrity. Titles were everywhere. Authority was abundant. But character? That was rare.
A title doesn’t make a leader. I saw people with power but no accountability. Leaders who made promises they never intended to keep. Supervisors who retaliated instead of supported. And over time, I realized that leadership without integrity doesn’t just fail — it causes harm. It harms the culture. It harms the people under it. It harms trust.
The damage of that kind of leadership is long-lasting. It creates fear, silence, and burnout. I saw coworkers shrink under the weight of intimidation. I saw good people leave because of dishonesty. And in the end, I experienced it myself when they withheld my last paycheck illegally. That wasn’t just an oversight. It was the fruit of a system where integrity had been replaced by exploitation.
As I’ve stepped into this season of rest, fasting, and preparing for baptism, God has been teaching me about true leadership. In Deuteronomy, I’ve been reminded of Moses’ leadership. He didn’t lead by manipulation or threats. He led by obedience to God. He carried the weight of the people with humility. That’s integrity.
True leadership is marked by service, honesty, and accountability. It requires making hard choices for the good of the people, not for the preservation of power. Leadership without integrity will always crumble — even if it takes time.
This experience taught me to value integrity above titles. I don’t respect a position if it isn’t grounded in truth. And in my own practice, I carry that with me. I want to lead my clients, my family, and myself from a place of honesty and care.
The Housing Authority showed me the damage of leadership without integrity. But it also gave me clarity. I now know the kind of leader I refuse to be — and the kind of leader I am called to become.
Because leadership without integrity breeds harm. But leadership rooted in God builds healing.