The Importance of Value-Based Leadership

Leaders motivate us to do things and go places we would have not gone otherwise, depending on the leader, that’s either up the ladder or out the door! They are the make and break of an organization. Not surprising that today management gurus focus stringently on the attributes of good leadership. It is a complex and delicate thing, I would even go as far as saying it is an intricate art and an immense responsibility to be called a leader. You must not only teach and guide, but inspire, motivate and help breed a culture of creativity and innovation to survive in this fast-paced and dynamic world of the internet. There is no single method for 'good' leadership, but one thing is clear, at the core lies strong values.

The values of a leader are very important, because they dictate the values of an organization and its top management, which in turn translates to the company culture. Not only are the company’s mission, vision, and goals a reflection of the leader’s ethics, but they also define performance metrics, incentive programs, appraisal procedures, rewards and recognition, conflict resolution and the overall responsibility and productivity of a team.

The most important value of leadership is integrity. As Abdul Kalam said “Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.” Even the best of us will make some mistakes in our lives or career, we’re only human. Mistakes can be forgiven and corrected, what matters is the intent. Integrity is the effort to do what is right, to perform and behave honestly and with principle. When leaders themselves show integrity, the organization is built on a strong foundation of trust, honesty, fairness and ethics.

That brings me to my second point; always lead by example. There is a legend about a French Monastery led by it's excellent leader Brother Leo. Monks often traveled from far and wide to meet him. Once a group of monks made a pilgrimage to the monastery. Almost as soon as they began their journey they fell to arguing over who would do what chores. A third monk joined them on the third day. This monk never complained and dutifully completed his chores, even volunteering to take over the chores the others argued about. His attitude shamed the other monks who stopped bickering and followed his example. When the monks reached the monastery, they asked for Brother Leo. The man who greeted them laughed and said their brother was already among them, pointing at the monk who joined them on the third day. This story is a lesson in how leadership by action makes a greater impact than mere words. What values do you wish to see in your employees? Respect, courage, dedication, humility, integrity? Instill them in yourself first.

Finally, be kind. The greatest leaders only reached their position because they care about people, and wanted to achieve something for the greater good of humanity. Don’t ever forget your motive, or your values. Be tough with your morals and principles but be kind and understanding to people. You know what they say, “people don’t leave companies, they leave their bosses.” Running a successful company with employees in tens of thousands is no excuse to be a terrible person.

Leadership based on values and principals inspires trust. It has been proven that an environment of trust results in enhanced performance and loyalty. These values are the glue to holding an organization together, uniting employees, upholding ethics and aligning thoughts with results.