Why Leaders Must Identify and Live by Their Values

Brief

Creating a shared sense of values across a company begins with leaders who clearly identify an initial list of values, work with their teams to confirm them and are willing to impose consequences when those values are violated, writes Naphtali Hoff. Help your team identify and live in those values by presenting them in meetings and giving employees scenarios to show them how they apply in any given workplace situation, Hoff writes.

Insight

In previous productivity steps we planned our work (Step 1,) put systems in place to keep our people informed and in sync (Step 2,) rolled up our sleeves to get work done (Step 3,) and identified strategies to sustain the momentum we’ve built (Step 4.) This post goes deeper on Step 5, leading for maximal productivity.

The fifth and final component of this step is to be sure to lead from values. Values are the core components of a person’s deepest beliefs, the concepts that they hold most dear and that drive decision making, or at least should.

When a leader takes the time to identify her deepest values, she is likelier to make satisfying choices and remain consistent in her actions and choices. Moreover, if she is effective in articulating her values then others will understand her reasoning and be more inclined to support her process.

Leadership from the rear forward

f course, the ideal way to lead is to do so from the rear forward, rather than to drag others along from the front. The more that the “followers” feel and a sense of ownership of, and connection with, the underlying values and related decision making, the more inclined they will be to support the effort and contribute towards its success.

Creating a shared sense of values may not be as challenging as would first appear. For starters, gather your team together for conversation. Offer them a values list and see where the discussion goes.