Ethics can be defined as a system of moral principles or rules of conduct with respect to a group or culture. Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

These are essential qualities of leaders, irrespective of the teams they lead.

There are other qualities associated with leadership, which we can quickly look at like the 5 H's a leader should possess, said Prof. B. Krishnamurthy of the Centre for Organisation Development (COD), while delivering the BL Club lecture on `Ethics and Integrity in Leadership', sponsored by the Tata Photon Plus at St Martins' College of Management.

Hunger, hardwork, humility, health and honesty are the 5 H's for a great leader, he said. Prof. Krishnamurthy, in his lecture, gave the example of former India President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for humility personified.

The effective leader should also possess a few more qualities which are critical. They are self-respect, self-confidence and persistence. It is easy for a leader with the above qualities to build trust with the team working for him/her and also with the supervisors.

Building trust is a critical element in the life of a leader, since trust plays a major part in whatever the leader does. This enables transparency in all actions and goes a long way in enlisting the support of the team to achieve bigger targets or major accomplishments.

It is very sad to see gullible youngsters fall prey to submitting false certificates of qualification or experience to gain a job in reputed companies, only to be fired with a “bad relieving letter” soon after it is discovered in few months. The same habit manifests itself while working in the organisation, in the form of submitting false bills and claims to make a quick buck. All these acts are unacceptable, though they may look fine in the short run.

Commitment to values and ethics need to be built from young age and should stay with the individual right through life. It will bring success and satisfaction in one's career and life at large.

He cited the scene in 3 Idiots, where Raju appears for interview and wheels off his chair saying, “You keep the job, I will keep my attitude”. That is the spirit needed to hold on to ones values and ethical behaviour at all times.

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