What Are Your Leadership Values?

Being aware of your values and the ways in which those values influence how you work and interact with others is critical to being an effective leader. It’s important to know your values and then use those to guide your work. Being grounded in your values helps determine what kind of leader you will be and how you will live out those values through your actions and your work.

My leadership values include building trust and confidence, being dependable and respectful, striving for inclusivity and equity, and maintaining both a sense of purpose and a sense of humor. I use them all at different times and in different ways. As I reflect on my different values, I think these may be my top three.

Vision – I think great leaders have vision. They see opportunities for change in the bigger picture and hold out the vision to champion the way. They shine a light on critical points and can focus attention on the truths that will inspire change and move the work forward. Effective leaders are forward looking and can idealize other possibilities. They are aspirational in their desire to work toward long-term goals and solutions. But more than that, they create hope and inspire others to work toward a vision.

Integrity – Integrity is critical to quality leadership. With integrity, leaders can hold out the potential of what could be above all individual and organizational self-interests. A leader with integrity continually strives toward the loftier goal beyond her or his ideas or self-interests. Ultimately, integrity is about doing the right thing even when no one is looking. It is about always staying true to shared goals even when things get difficult. Integrity enables leaders to remain true to the higher cause of the work or task at hand.

Openness – Leadership is about possibilities, and that requires embracing change and being open to the idea that things will be different tomorrow than they are today. Therefore, I think it is critical for those in leadership roles to be open to different people, viewpoints, and ideas. Remaining open as a leader creates space for new information and new opportunities. I also believe that openness provides the ability to champion inclusivity and transparency. Effective leaders recognize the value in others and are committed to ensuring all have access to the process and the information.

All your different values are important and will influence your approach to the many opportunities and challenges along the way. What are your leadership values? What guides you in your work and life?