Their personal values guide them as they guide others.
In my long, illustrious, and somewhat dubious career, I have had many bosses… but very few have also been leaders. Fewer still have been inspiring leaders. In my opinion, the most distinguishing characteristic of inspirational leaders has been their relentless insistence on sticking to their personal values.
Have you ever found yourself enduring a daily work atmosphere of politics, mercenary behavior, deception, backstabbing, and passive-aggressive trickery? I hope you haven’t, and I hope you’re not in that kind of place right now… but if you are, you may have noticed that the tone of the team is often set at the top. When the boss lacks integrity, when his values seem to change with the weather, the team stays on the dark side of human nature.
If you think about it, the best times you’ve ever had at work have probably been with a boss stubbornly committed to your personal values. For example, I know a leader who is famous for adamantly insisting that she (and her team) always do the right thing. That means they often don’t have the option to do the easy thing, or even the politically expedient… but they always do the right thing. Values are king in this leader’s team. The team works hard, harder than teammates on other teams, and I won’t say they never complain. But each and every one of them has something that their peers don’t have. Every member of this leader’s team sleeps very well at night, knowing that she has done the right thing.
That is no small thing.
If, like many of my coaching clients, you are an emerging leader looking to define your leadership “brand” as inspiring, give this some thought. Would your team be able to articulate what your values are? Would they say that you are firm in your commitment to your values? If you’ve said you believe in staying healthy, do your people sometimes surprise you by exercising or taking your vitamins? If you have proclaimed that personal development is important, are your teammates aware of your personal efforts to educate yourself and stay informed about what is happening in the world? If you’ve said that “lifestyle balance” is important, do your people see you making plans and wanting to have fun outside of work?
Remember that people will not always believe what you say. However, if you are an inspirational leader, they will often believe what you believe. So you need to embody the values you speak of, and that requires a clear set of values that you are obviously and personally committed to.
A little self-reflection, honesty, and journaling can help you hone in on your value set, which can help you recommit to your personal sense of integrity. There are many correct answers to the question “what do you stand for?”…and inspiring leaders know their own personal answer.