The Impact of Values on Leadership: A Primer

Think of the last decision you made. What values influenced your decision-making process?

So often, we react to situations automatically, and we call ourselves optimized and efficient. We move quickly and mindlessly, because we're told to prioritize speed and ease, often over ethics and discernment (yikes).

But I fervently believe that "values vs. action" does not have to be an either/or situation. We can maintain our values while still being both efficient and effective in our work. We can be strong, action-oriented leaders who live out our values in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I believe our values can drive us to make better, more strategic decisions. And I believe taking the time to reflect on how our values influence our thoughts and actions will make us better leaders.

How do Values Influence our Leadership?

The Data of Who We Are

Everything we do is the next step along the path paved by everything that has come before. In other words, every moment we enter is made up of every moment that came before. Right now, as you are reading this blog post, you are carrying your past with you. You are made up of all of the beliefs and attitudes you formed throughout your life, all of the past experiences that made you feel a certain way or think a certain thing about the world. You are the amalgamation of everything you have experienced. And that is a beautiful thing we should pay homage to. We should pay attention to everything we are made up of, because it all accumulates into the mindset that drives our present (and our future decisions). Paying attention to it will help us use it for good.

We can use the data of who we are to better understand what happened in the past, to reflect on how we feel about that now, and to determine how we want to choose to act in the future.

Think of the inverse. If we ignore everything that came before, we ignore valuable data. Just the way content marketers should look at the data from past campaigns before launching a new one, leaders should look at the data of who we are before we make future decisions. This data is information we can use to better understand what happened in the past, to reflect on how we feel about that now, and to determine how we want to choose to act in the future.

The Makeup of Our Values

Our values are the standards that guide our behavior and reflect what we care about most. These might be principles, morals, or a code of ethics you live by. Our values encompass the things we want to hold ourselves to and wish others would hold themselves to as well.

For example, you might value integrity above all else, as I do. This means when faced with a decision, you are probably not going to choose the action that is manipulative or sleazy or dishonest. If you value integrity, you are likely going to have a strong congruence of your thoughts and actions across situations, because you feel you have a duty of doing what is right, and that deeply rooted value overrides office politics or situational dynamics.

When I am faced with a situation that pressures me to do something that challenges my sense of self, I feel conflicted. My integrity wants me to stay true to myself and to others, to be honest and respectful, and to do what's morally right at all times, even when it's hard. I do often find myself in situations where that is incredibly difficult. Where other people might cave or appease others or go along with whatever's happening, I find that more anguishing than others might, and I choose to take the high road, even if it hurts, because I believe it's the right thing to do, and I value integrity so highly.

When someone else does not exhibit a strong sense of integrity, I feel disappointed. I wish everyone valued integrity, but in those moments, I have to remind myself that that person probably does not value integrity the way I do. And while I cannot control their actions, I could try to inspire them to make better decisions if it's appropriate, or, more reasonably, I simply have to let them be and remember that I can only control my own actions.

Our past, the way we make sense of our experiences, and our values and beliefs make us who we are, and they are constantly accumulating additional data with every new decision we make in every new moment we live.

This doesn't mean I'm better than anyone else. Certainly not. We all value different things, and we act on our values in different ways. Our beliefs and values reciprocally affect each other as well, and while our values are very deeply rooted, our beliefs may shift if we go through a significant experience or change, encouraging us to reflect on what we believe about the world, how we view our place in the world, and how we view our individual profile. Maybe we believe there is good in the world, we believe we can be a part of that good, and we believe we are good because we value honesty and respect. Maybe we believe that because in our past, we experienced adversity, but someone helped us. Or maybe we made it through a difficult time feeling stronger on the other side. Or maybe we have experienced the goodness of others and can't deny the positive power they have had on our hearts. Our past, the way we make sense of our experiences, and our values and beliefs make us who we are, and they are constantly accumulating additional data with every new decision we make in every new moment we live.

Everything Starts with Awareness

To be a values-driven leader, you first have to know your values. I believe everything begins with self-awareness, so take a moment to do a little self-reflection here and make a list of the things you value most. Maybe it's just 1 thing. Maybe you can list 5-10. Take a second and list your top values.

​Here are some common values:

• Integrity

• Courage

• Accountability

• Honesty

• Compassion

• Authenticity

• Curiosity

• Commitment

• Ambition

• Respect

• Collaboration

• Reliability

• Assertiveness

• Appreciation

• Loyalty

• Forgiveness

• Generosity

• Humility

• Responsibility

• Empathy

• Perseverance

Choose your top 5.

Then, try to rank them in order of importance, 1-5, with 1 being the one that matters most to you.

If you are having trouble ranking them, try this exercise: Take your 5 values...now take one away. Pretend you can't have that value anymore. You're left with the remaining 4 that matter most to you. Now, take another one away. Three left?! Okay...now remove another one. Ouch. This is starting to hurt, isn't it? Only two remain. Now, take away one more. That leaves you with one. In reverse order, this is your list of 1-5 in order of importance.

Now that you know what your most important values are, think of times when those values are supported. Think of times when those values are challenged. What do you do in those moments? How did you feel? How did they contribute to your beliefs and actions thereafter?

For example:

Value: Honesty

Time when value was supported: I was in a meeting where I disagreed with my peers. I was scared, but I spoke up, and I shared my honest thoughts about the project. After a tense moment when I wasn't sure how my honesty would be received, someone on the call thanked me for sharing my thoughts candidly yet respectfully, and he actually agreed with me. More people came forward. We all then collaborated on a better strategy.

Result: I believe people appreciate honesty when it is delivered in a respectful manner, and I believe my opinion matters. I will be more likely to share my thoughts next time without feeling so anxious.

Time when value was challenged: I know a lot about project management. My boss invited me to a meeting with a few of our executives. During the meeting, people said things that did not mesh with my training and experience in project management. I messaged my boss and asked if I could speak up. He said no--he didn't want me speaking against the executives.

Result: I felt dejected, as though my opinions and expertise did not matter. I no longer believe these people want to do what's right--they care more about office politics than producing the best result. In the future, I will probably feel too stifled to speak up, knowing it is futile.

Try mapping out these 5 areas for each of your top 5 values this week. See what you learn!

3 Keys to Being a Values-Driven Leader

Leadership is innately human. And all humans have values. Maybe some repress them, maybe some act on them too aggressively, or maybe some organize them into a different hierarchy than yours. Values are present, and they help drive our behaviors regardless of how conscious we are of their influence. Bringing our values to the forefront of our consciousness and making them concrete will help us choose how to lead in a values-driven way.

When we lead, we have opportunities to make values-based decisions. What does this mean? And how can we do it in a more constructive way?

Being a values-driven leader means your values (1) are prioritized in your actions, (2) are consistent across interactions, and (3) are the foundation of the culture you nurture.

Let's walk through each of these three elements.

(1) Your values are prioritized in your actions.

Values-based leaders don't act mindlessly, dishonestly, or impulsively. They know their values and they act on those values. When they are faced with a choice, as we all are, they choose the path that is driven by their most important values.

For example, say a new leader wants to build trust among her team. She receives important information from her boss that will change the way her team works. But her boss doesn't feel the information is worth having a meeting over, and her boss does not communicate the change to the department. What should she do?

Because this leader values trust, she knows her team will trust her if she shares information (and its strategy and context) openly and in a timely manner. She knows that if she withholds information, she would deteriorate their trust. Therefore, she chooses to hold a meeting with her team, where she communicates the change and provides context into the specific application for their roles. She allows her team members to ask questions, and they walk through a few examples of how this new information might influence upcoming projects. Her team thanks her for sharing this information with them and valuing their input and responsibilities. Her team's work thereafter is infused with greater innovation and strategy, and her team doesn't have to worry that they aren't receiving relevant information from "above."

This leader had to "go against" her boss, you might say. But her belief that sharing information and having open dialogue with her team will breed trust, which she values (above her own political dynamics with her boss), drove her actions. She could rest easy knowing she did what she believed was right, and her team was made better off for it.

Values alignment gives us a sense of ease, because we mitigate any internal conflict that comes with doing something we don't believe in, doing something we don't want to do, or doing/saying different things in different situations. That brings us to element number 2.

2) Your values are consistent across interactions.

Values-based leaders maintain their values-driven actions consistently across interactions. This means they're not just honest when it serves them; they're honest all the time, because that's who they are. It's not just a habit; it's a value that propels them forward, that drives their behaviors.

Examples of consistency in values-based leaders:

• Their messages are consistent regardless of who is in the room.

• Their messages and actions align.

• They stand by their words and actions.

In other words, they do what they say they're going to do, and they don't change their opinion simply to agree with whoever is in the room. They stand by their actions and hold themselves accountable.

Consistent messages seem simple (and maybe even obvious) but are actually a secret key to leadership. Of course, when we have new information, we have to use it to make decisions, and our decisions may change. But our values won't. For example, if we value honesty, and we decide to go with Strategy A, but then we find out new information and decide to switch to Strategy B, that doesn't mean we're being inconsistent; to be consistent, we must call a meeting and be honest with our team about what caused the change and what should happen now. Provide context into the shift so people can follow your thought process along with you and maintain buy-in--and trust.

In this article, I examine the inverse as well: "If someone is displaying inconsistent messages, how can you trust them? They may just be trying to appeal to various audiences, but in doing so, they are relinquishing the trust of all. They may want to make themselves look good in different settings, but in doing so, they are confusing the image of who they truly are."

You can't claim something is a value if you don't live it out consistently. If you don't live out your values consistently, you would feel a growing sense of discontent. You'd constantly feel conflicted. You might get burnt out. You would get beaten down with each subsequent force that made you misalign your values. Don't get me wrong--this does happen. But I'm urging you to recognize it and break the cycle. If you are unhappy in your job, ask yourself why. If it's because you have to do things that are in conflict with your values, you have more reflection to do: What is preventing my ability to live out my values? How can I better incorporate my values into my work? In what type of job would I be allowed to embrace my values more fully? How can I find or create a career that allows me to be more values-driven?

The ways you live your values also rub off on the team you lead. If they see you modeling honesty and integrity and respect, they will follow suit. That brings us to the third element....

(3) Your values are the foundation of the culture you nurture.

As a leader, you are responsible for nurturing a supportive, trusting, constructive culture among the team you lead. The type of culture you build is dependent on your values.

I once worked for a boss who was very manipulative and political. She would be very wily in the way she picked which messages she would deliver to which people in which ways, and which messages she would omit based on various ulterior motives. I always felt conflicted while working with her, because my values of integrity, transparency, and authenticity were constantly being challenged. Because she did not value those things, she did not nurture a culture where those things were celebrated or even present. Instead, her actions proved the type of person she was and cultivated a type of culture where she would thrive. Our team did not work well with other teams, information did not flow freely across functions, and people were always confused about what to believe or trust because of the wild inconsistency of both messages and actions. That was her doing. But she didn't even realize it. She only knew what she was doing; she had no idea of her impact on the rest of the team.

Whether you realize it or not, as a leader, you are modeling behaviors to your team members. Your actions convey what is acceptable and therefore expected by your team. This is why I hate when people say, "Do as I say, not as I do." That conflicts big time with my value of authenticity! As we live out our values, we are making bids for the type of culture that is acceptable. If we do something, others will think they can do it, too. And if we act in accordance with our values, we can hopefully foster a culture where those values are represented and celebrated for all.

This doesn't mean you should be pushing your personal values on everyone else. But it does mean you should act with integrity and you should expect others to act with integrity as well. Both of those things have to be present. You can't reprimand a team member for not acting with integrity if you turn around and lie all the time. Be explicit in your expectations for your team and the way you build your team's culture. And before you explicitly share how you want that culture to be, you need to work backwards by reflecting on your values, exploring how those values impact your leadership style, and articulating why those values matter. Your actions are proof that those values translate into business value-add. Your actions are proof that those values are acceptable and even expected. Do as you want others to do, and say things authentically and with meaning. Then, you will be able to build strong team cultures rooted in values. Once your team has your values set as the foundation for your culture, the rest of the work will be able to be done more easily. It's not a "nice to have"-- it's a required element of effective leadership. Make it work for you.

What You Can Do Today

Start with self-awareness. Understand 1) your values and 2) how they show up in your beliefs, thoughts, and actions. Explore how your values drive your behaviors and decisions as a leader. Before your next action, take a moment to pause and consider how to align your values to the situation at hand. Choose to act in a way that is in accordance with your values. Lead in a way that you can feel proud of and that others will want to emulate--and follow. That is the marketing of a true leader.