From Values to Action
The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership
Editorial Review
Leadership, simply put, is the ability to influence others. Values-based leadership takes it to the next level. By word, action, and example, values-based leaders seek to inspire and motivate, using their influence to pursue what matters most. The objective of values-based leadership is to do the right thing by making choices and decisions that are aligned with your values. When crises arise, the values-based leader does not need to agonize over how to address every issue. Focusing on the right thing to do makes choices clearer to see and easier to make. This requires more than just a grasp of the situation or the players involved. First, you must know who you are and the values for which you stand. Self-reflection is the key to identifying what you stand for, what your values are, and what matters most. Through self-reflection, you are able to step back, filtering out the noise and distractions. As your view becomes clearer, you can prioritize how and where to invest your time, efforts, and energy. Self-reflection allows you to gain clarity on issues, both personal and professional, because you have taken the time to think more deeply about them. The more self-reflective you are, the easier it is to make choices that are in line with your values, with awareness of the full impact of your decisions. Being self-reflective, you take the time to think through your choices and decisions. As situations arise, you are surprised less frequently. Even when you do face an unexpected outcome, self-reflection can help you use it to your advantage for the future.
Book Reviews
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Wisdom to Share
One of the biggest benefits of self-reflection is in identifying what comes first and what comes last.
There is no right or wrong way to engage in self-reflection. The key is to find time when you can be silent and really focus on what matters most.
Balance is the ability to see issues, problems, and questions from all angles, including from differing viewpoints, even those that are diametrically opposed to ours.
With balance, we are able to make decisions explicitly with an understanding of the broad impact, instead of focusing narrowly.
As a leader, you must not only balance your professional and personal life but also model this thought process for others.
True self-confidence is an inner quality that establishes your leadership and enables you to empower your team.
Leaders with true self-confidence avoid creating ambiguity and want to empower their team to provide feedback, voice their opinions, and challenge others, including the leader.
True self-confident leaders have no trouble turning to team members who have greater ability or expertise in certain areas.
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