Getting Back to the Heart of Leadership

A few days ago I had the opportunity to gather with fellow parishioners at my beautiful, old, Italian church to talk about politics. I know what you’re thinking…we were mixing religion and politics, a heady combination. It turned out to be a fascinating conversation about more than the current political issues; on which many of us actually disagreed (you may be surprised to know).

What brought us all back together was the heart of leadership – vision and values.

The leader – whether it be of our country, a religion, the company you work for, or the company you’re creating, is responsible for setting and clearly communicating a vision of where the organization is headed under their leadership, and the values to which members will be held accountable.

Without a vision you have no idea where you’re headed. Without values there is no accountability, which may lead to a weakening of personal responsibility and erosion of the culture on which the organization was founded (which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your perspective). On this, we all agreed.

Thus, the heart of your leadership beats with the passion of your vision and the conviction of your values.

The implications and responsibility associated with this realization are enormous, which is why very few people are truly brilliant leaders. Think about your own leadership…could those who follow you clearly articulate your vision and values? Do you even know their rhythm yourself?

What about as a follower? Do you recognize the values that are of critical importance to you in the organizations you work for and with?

I believe it’s exceptionally important that we not only connect to our passion and conviction as a leader, but align our values with whom and where we spend our time, pledge our loyalty, and invest our money:

• If you feel the organization you work for is not living up to the values they tout, if there are no core values, or if values exist but employees are not held accountable to these values, seriously consider finding an organization where the values align with your core values, and are lived and held in high regard.
• If you are starting your own company, know and record the values on which you will build it. Be open with everyone you hire about the values to which you ascribe and to which you will hold them accountable. Share these values with every partner and customer and live them every single day. My business card tells people how I am living my values in my role at To Be A Woman. I strive to live up to them every single day.
• If there are businesses you frequently visit, and where you spend a significant percentage of your time or money, get to know the company values. Do they represent your own values? Do they invest in your community?

I wanted to share the following example of a company that knows what it stands for, shares its conviction openly, and is willing to be held accountable… You see, I had the misfortune of a damaged car key that led me to spend some time in the service department of my local car dealership a few days ago, but the great fortune to see their Core Values visibly posted for customers to see:

1. Continuously create opportunities for our employees and their families to excel economically, professionally and personally

2. Never let a teammate fail

3. Everyone who comes in contact with our organization is our customer. (VERY insightful!)

4. Exceeding customer expectations is the way we do business.

5. Our employees, our facility, and the environment we create reflect our professionalism and commitment to these values.

Impressive. And then at the bottom they have one of the most critical components that most companies miss: It states very clearly, “Core values are the organization’s essential and enduring tenets, not to be compromised for financial gain or short-term expediency.”

The employees of the dealership lived these values while I was there; further solidifying my loyalty to the company that I already knew is highly invested in my local community.

This is just one example. Could I write an example like this about your company? Could I easily identify and write about your passionate vision and the conviction of your values?

Look at the heart of your own leadership. Do you feel passion and conviction in your vision and values as they flow from your heart? Are you even in touch with them at all? If not, you have important work to do. Because the full power of your leadership will always start within you…

~

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Photo of With My Heart on My Hand by Wolfsoul. Wickstrom photo by me.