“There are some values that you should never compromise on to stay true to yourself; you should be brave to stand up for what you truly believe in, even if you stand alone.” ― Roy T. Bennett
Leaders often mention core values and the importance of them to their personal success and effectiveness as a leader. They talk often too about how the organizational core values will help steer them all through the inevitable difficulties ahead. They seem to intuitively recognize that core values serve as the moral and strategic compass of themselves and the business. And, of course they are 100% correct – core values are absolutely essential.
Here’s where it gets interesting, however. When we ask these same leaders to specifically list, describe, and define their own core values, they often struggle to do so with any real clarity. They will declare the easy and obvious ones – the ones I guess you’re thinking of right now… but when we dig a little below the surface they start to get a little wooly, a little nebulous, and esoteric. ‘Integrity’, they say, and ‘harmony’, and ‘service’, and ‘doing the right thing’… oh sure, doing the right thing by the stakeholders – that’s easy. That’s expected.
Typically, when we ask them again, say, six months later (when they have likely forgotten the specific values they declared to us earlier), this ‘critical’ list seems to have magically altered – often to more closely reflect their particular personal or organizational challenges du-jour.
If leaders are to live, and lead, and hire, and fire, and promote, and envision the future for themselves, their people and their company by their core values – they had better have an absolute crystal-clear picture of them. They should be able to recite them in priority order with some definitive regularity and consistency, and be able to explain each of them in detail. The best of the best leaders can – can you?
My Magic 5 in 5 Exercise
Identifying and committing to your leadership core values allows you to be a more congruent leader.
From this list below, circle the most important top 10 (yes, they are all critically important). Then whittle that top 10 down to your Magic 5. This should take no more than 5 minutes – don’t overthink it – your first thoughts are likely the correct ones.
Achievement | Fun | Power |
Adventure | Happiness | Progress |
Balance | Health | Reason |
Challenge | Hope | Respect |
Collaboration | Honesty | Security |
Commitment | Honour | Self-expression |
Communication | Humour | Self-reliance |
Confidence | Improvement | Service |
Control | Independence | Skill |
Creativity | Integrity | Solving problems |
Discipline | Improvement | Spirituality |
Education | Kindness | Stability |
Fairness | Knowledge | Strength |
Family | Love | Success |
Financial security | Lifestyle | Teamwork |
Friends | Marriage | Truth |
Freedom | Meaning | Variety |
Fulfilment | Merit | Wealth |
Forgiveness | Peace of mind | Wisdom |
Written by Antonio Garrido.
Have you read?
How a Global Recession Has Led to a Focus on Value in E-Commerce.
Defund Leadership Development Efforts – There Might Be A Better Investment by Robert H. Lengel.
How to Address Employees Yearning for Purpose at Work Without Stoking Divisiveness and Intolerance by Frank Devine.
Diversity in the Boardroom: How to Cultivate Inclusivity by Tricia Montalvo Timm.
Forming a competing company to take 100% ownership of the business you built by Robert A. Adelson, Esq.
Track Latest News Live on CEOWORLD magazine and get news updates from the United States and around the world.
The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the CEOWORLD magazine.
Follow CEOWORLD magazine headlines on: Google News, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Thank you for supporting our journalism. Subscribe here.
For media queries, please contact: info@ceoworld.biz