In March, voicemail messages allegedly left by John Edwards were obtained and reported to prove that he arranged a cover-up of his extramarital affair.

Last year, BP was forced to admit mistakes that led to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico after an internal memo was leaked.

What do these stories and so many others in recent times have in common? These presumably private communications were made public, triggering life-changing results. While their errors were likely far more catastrophic to their reputations than any you or I might make, the lesson is still valid for anyone in a position of leadership.

None of us are perfect. We are going to make mistakes. Unfortunately, the higher you climb in your career, the more visible you become. Adding further complexity to the situation is the world of instant communication. Rather than simply being fodder for watercooler gossip, our actions or words could be exposed online anytime to an expansive audience, and it’s not even remotely in our control. The only way to prevent the embarrassment of this type of exposure is to strive every day to live in such a way that we would not be ashamed.

Be deliberately ethical.

Every single day, we make decisions — some small, some large — and together they set the course for our businesses and our personal progress. The impact of a thousand small decisions is enormous, so it is vital that these small decisions be handled properly. Every one of the stories above could have had different results had the parties involved made a deliberate decision to follow a different ethical compass for their decisions. While the day hopefully never will come where we have to endure such intense scrutiny, it is best to always behave in such a way that our actions and words are defensible.

Seek wise counsel.

What you or I may view as ethical might not always agree with public opinion, which is why we should surround ourselves with those who can offer insight outside of our possibly limited scope. Choose your advisers carefully, and do not fall into the trap of seeking the advice of only those who agree with you. The more information and wider perspective you have, the better you will be able to make wise decisions.

Beware hubris. Embrace transparency.

If every word you spoke were published on YouTube or every email you sent found its way to Wikileaks, could you hold your head high or would you be ashamed? Fair or not, leaders no longer have an expectation of privacy. In today’s world, that is the new reality. As the unsuccessful attempts to censor Wikileaks have proven, no one is exempt from this type of exposure.

The higher you climb in your career, the more visible you become.

The moment you took on the responsibilities of leadership, you found yourself in a position to be judged and questioned. Therefore, beware of becoming a victim of your own hubris, but, rather, embrace transparency within your leadership methodology. Rather than fearing exposure, realize the power that comes from operating in such a way that you can be proud.

Learn from the mistakes of others.

It is not easy to seek to lead in this way.

We all will fail, some more than others, so why should we try? Simply pick up a newspaper any given day, and you will have stories at your fingertips that show the results of the alternative. Blagojevich now faces sentencing following his conviction. Edwards was indicted on six felony charges. BP’s stock value that plunged by more than half. In the months preceding their exposure, these stories were that of success and glory. Now they are defined by their exposure. It is unnerving how quickly it can all fall apart with a single memo or voice recording.

In this digital age, when a person’s life story can be forever changed by the combination of technology and poorly chosen words, it is even more crucial that you and your company’s leaders operate in a manner that could be exposed to all without causing shame. You may think that since you are not an extremely public figure like Edwards or Blagojevich, no one would be interested in the goings on inside your company, but given the impact of public opinion on any business’ success or failure, you must decide if you are willing to take that gamble.

Ask yourself, “How would my headline read?”

Dale Hageman is President and CEO Accord Human Resources.