Your leadership effectiveness is not solely determined by your knowledge, experience and leadership skills; rather, it is deeply intertwined with your personal values. These values act as an invisible compass, subtly guiding your decisions, actions, and the culture you create within your team.
This raises two critical questions:
1. How aware are we of our core values?
2. How can we ensure we operate in alignment with them?
Let’s begin with the second question. When our values are being honored, we experience happiness, fulfilment, and success. Conversely, when our values are challenged or compromised, we may feel anxiety, frustration, disappointment, or a sense of emptiness. Our emotions serve as signals, indicating whether we are living in alignment with the leader we aspire to be.
Values play a pivotal role in challenging, often ethical decision-making, such as:
– Prioritizing purpose or profit.
– Deciding between the team’s well-being and individual interests.
– Balancing long-term growth against short-term wins.
– Choosing between Corporate Social Responsibility and the bottom line.
The principles that guide us in these decisions stem from our values, which operate on a subconscious level, helping us discern if we are on the right track. Understanding your personal values is paramount for effective leadership.
One way to uncover your values is through a reflective value exercise.
Value Exercize:
1. Select up to ten values from the list below that resonate with you the most, representing what you deeply care about or the principles you live by.
2. Narrow down your selection to a maximum of five core values. Group similar-sounding values and choose one label for them. Remove less important ones.
3. Prioritize these values in order of importance.
4. Reflect on your five core values by answering the following questions:
- How do I embody these values in my leadership role?
- In what areas of my work can I express myself more in line with my core values?
- In what areas of my work do I NOT express myself in line with my core values at all?
- What would be the benefits of expressing myself in ways that align better with my values?
- What’s preventing me from expressing myself in ways that align better with my values?
- What might be a sign that my behavior is not aligned with my values?
- How can I better integrate my values into my leadership role?
- When I feel triggered, which value is being undermined?
- How can I use my values in decision-making?
- How do my values impact my leadership performance?
By defining and reflecting on your values, you will gain a deeper understanding of your motivations and the driving forces behind your leadership. This clarity will enable you to chart a path towards greater ease, contentment, and fulfilment. You’ll also collect valuable information you can then use to determine your priorities and make more informed decisions.
Conducting this exercize with your team will also provide invaluable insights into who they truly are and what motivates them, enabling you to better support and empower them.
In a professional environment, leaders who lead from their values find it easier to make decisions, communicate a vision, inspire and engage others, influence effectively, simplify complexity and foster healthy work environments.
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