Because, if the leader violates this law, no one can depend on anything else the leader does. Maybe, if they aren't too demanding and don't require too much effort. Perhaps, if you believe this commitment to be genuine. The other seven laws are necessary for successful leadership, but insufficient by themselves. They are all dependent on the first.
Leadership is a trust.
Without that trust, true leadership is not possible. So, if you are a leader, guard your integrity as if it were your most valuable possession. William A. Cohen, Ph.D. is a professor of Marketing and Leadership at California State University in Los Angeles. A retired Major General in the United States Air Force, he is also a West Pointer and combat leader. His new book is an MG Top 10 nominee.