Leadership Values
If you were to walk into my home on any given day you would start picking up on some clues about what makes my family tick. Our family values begin to surface pretty quickly. Whether it’s the tennis rackets or gym bags indicating a value of fitness, or the stacks of books on shelves throughout the house suggesting a hunger for growth and knowledge, or the bowl of fruit on the counter representing our preference for healthy eating, our family has it’s own set of values.
Values are kind of funny things because they exist whether you have defined them in writing or not. They are simply things that individuals and groups of people begin to define themselves by. Within a short time of being in someone’s home or hanging out at an office, you quickly know the values of that environment.
In turn, I think leaders lead from certain values that they esteem most. I thought I would share mine with you and I would love to hear what values you, well… value.
Accountability – it’s critical for strong teams; be accountable up, down and throughout the organization and you’ll succeed
Communication – or as I like to say “use your blinker”; communication is a powerhouse, when you give it, you usually receive it in return; the most powerful teams communicate well
Development (of myself & others) – good leaders are constantly looking for ways to grow themselves and their teams; great leaders are relentless about developing the people they lead and creating ways to further their growth
Generosity -give, love, empower; don’t hold back; believe the best in others; live generously
Responsibility – “to whom much is given, much is required”; don’t take for granted what you’ve been blessed with; take responsibility for the blessing of influence
Now, let me clarify… I am not actually good at most of these. In fact, I stink at many of them. But I intentionally value them because I want to see them developed in my life and in the lives of those I lead.
How about you? What do you value as a leader?
I value all of these that you have posted. I would add:
Honesty/Authenticity – This is vital. It is something I check in my own life constantly. Without it, there is a quick breakdown in trust and communication.
and
Respect- Respect and appreciate others' no matter what their age or circumstance might be. We all have gifts, talents, and strengths that can benefit a team. Seek those out in others and allow them to shine in those areas.
Honesty/authenticity – that's a huge one!
What I value in leaders:
Vision. Being able to see what is coming about or casting it.
Others. I love leaders that notice others and not themselves. Paying attention to details and being perceptive.
Integrity. Pretty self explanatory
Mentorship. Understanding that they cannot last forever. They develop and mentor others.
I would say I would also add your list in here. These are just a couple that come to my mind
Great ones Kyle!
I wasn't sure I had any you hadn't mentioned, but as I thought about it, I realized there area few.
Follow Through – Do what you say you'll do. If you can't/don't have time, say no. Don't say yes and then fail to meet the obligation.
I'd second the communication value, especially when the aforementioned follow through isn't going to happen. When a team member communicates to me that they won't be able to do a task, it makes my life much easier than when I'm counting on it and it doesn't get done.
Strive for Excellence – We all fail. We all mess things up, but keep striving to do things well. Don't settle.
Model – Don't just tell others how to do something. Do it yourself. I think leaders have much more credibility when they have experience at the things they're asking of others.