Integrity determines investability. Buffett made it clear
Integrity determines investability. Buffett made it clear.
He once said, “I look for integrity, intelligence, and energy. But if they don’t have integrity, the other two will kill you.”
Business history proves the point.
The greatest failures weren’t about weak balance sheets.
They were about broken trust.
→ Enron, WorldCom, Theranos — all of their leaders had energy, and some were brilliant, but none had integrity. Investors who ignored that paid the price.
→ Even blue chip companies stumble when shortcuts replace high standards. Wells Fargo’s cross-selling scandal wiped out billions. Boeing’s safety compromises still haunt its brand.
For ultra-high-net-worth investors, integrity isn’t a “soft skill.”
It’s the risk filter that prevents catastrophic loss.
At Eagle Talon, integrity sits at the core of our leadership framework:
→ Do leaders embed strong values in decisions, or treat them as optional?
→ Is trust being compounded, or quietly eroded?
→ Can intelligence and energy deliver without integrity as the foundation?
Because capital follows confidence.
And confidence is built on trust.