Aug
25
2017
Leading authentically with values
Values play a huge role in our daily lives; from personal to professional, they help determine every decision we make. Understanding your own values can help you to become a better, more authentic leader.
So, what are values? They are the social, ethical, and moral standards that we’ve developed over a lifetime and, whether we realise it or not, they affect us on a daily basis. As well as personal values you may be aware that organisations have values too, and when the two sets of values match up there can be some great results.
Be aware of your personal and professional values
Grab yourself a pen and paper and think about your own personal values. Use the STEM acronym; what do you spend Space, Time, Energy, and Money on? Make a list; it might include things like family and friends, or integrity and equality. There are no right or wrong answers!
If it’s easier, think about what you do in your spare time, we’ll often find our values nestled amongst weekend activities.
Once you’ve done that, think about your professional values. Do you like a fast paced environment or a slow one? Do you prefer having space to work alone or being part of a team? See how many personal values appear in your professional list.
Values as motivation
Values can provide you and your team with motivation by the bucket load. People are much happier and more motivated in the workplace if they’re given the opportunity to act out their values. Whether that’s working in a team or getting a bonus; feeding these values can give your team that extra boost.
Asking someone “what are your values?” can put them on the spot, so if you want to understand your team’s values don’t do that! Instead, listen to them and ask open questions. You’ll start to learn about them and be able to understand their motivations and values.
However, you’ll need to lead by example and live your values too.
Living your values in the workplace
Take a look at your list of values again, how many of them do you put into action at work? This is part of leading with authenticity, you have to put these techniques into practice and live your values. Not only will this inspire your team, it’ll give you happiness and satisfaction too as you begin to understand your motivations.
To find out more about putting values into action and improving your leadership skills, take a look at our Leading with authenticity course. Alternatively, browse our other courses here.
