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Connecting to your core values and ethics is the foundation of effective leadership. These guiding principles influence your actions, decisions, and relationships. They are what you stand for so that you don’t fall for just anything in life or career.How can you be sure your values guide your ethics and daily decisions? Why is it important?
Consider for a moment how you might feel working at a fast food burger joint when you’re a health- and environment-conscious vegetarian. The behavior and job duties don’t match your values. Misaligned values and behaviors create internal turmoil. In the above example, you might dread going to work. You’re also unlikely to feel proud of it or have ownership or oneness with it. If a customer asked you, “What’s good?” from the menu, you’d be tempted to answer that with a “Nothing.” You probably wouldn’t take much initiative in your role.Those feelings don’t stop there. They would likely cross over into your private life, too.Connecting with your values provides:
As a business owner, having company values is just as important as personal ones. First, they help establish and maintain your desired workplace culture and climate. Second, writing down and displaying your company’s values helps attract closely matched employees. You empower workers to make better business decisions in your absence. They gain satisfying autonomy, and you earn a good company reputation.People mor/e easily understand you when you live by your values. You become more transparent and less confusing (and confused). You make better decisions, and those working for you can, too, because they can better understand and predict what you approve of.
To lead a life underpinned by your foundational values:
If you’re like most, you “fly by the seat of your pants,” so to speak, doing or taking action without a plan, navigating by feel, and making decisions in the moment. It’s not uncommon to have never asked yourself very introspective questions regarding what you value.
Write down what you value for each field or do it without fields if you don’t need them. You’ll refer to these time and again for hard decisions.Still looking for help? We provide personalized training inside our member’s area. Find out more about our exclusive membership here.
Once you’ve established your values, communicate them. Start with yourself, especially if you’ve been living a double life where your actions say one thing, but your core values are quite different. Look in the mirror and tell yourself who you are or are becoming.Next, communicate your values to friends, family, and your organization. It’s never too late to write and display company values. It’s never too early to say, “Oh, I don’t do that anymore.” or “I’m [this way] now.”
Keep referring back to those written values. If a decision seems particularly challenging or doesn’t sit well with you, re-read your value statements and make the choice that most closely aligns with them for greater inner peace.
Forgive yourself if you make choices or display actions that sometimes don’t align with your values. Asking for forgiveness from others can help you overcome regret when your actions don’t match your values.Do your best, and remember that old habits can be challenging to change, but they won’t change if you quit trying. Forgive others for times their behaviors might not have aligned with their values either.
Here are some bonus tips to keep in mind as you live and work according to your core values:
Defining your values and aligning your behaviors and decisions with them can help you lead a happier, more fulfilling life.
