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If
you have been in business any amount of time, by now you have probably come
across a sea of definitions for leadership, not to mention an ocean of books
about this thing called leadership. But we all know leadership when we
experience it. More importantly, we notice it when it’s missing. In
business, the purpose of leadership is to inspire others to follow your
vision/direction/dream for your business. That means getting people to move
together in one direction--the direction that is going to sail your business
successfully. And to do that you need a compass.
Core
values are the compass by which business leaders motivate their crew. Have
you ever heard of the saying, If you don’t stand for something, you’re
liable to fall for anything? People will not tolerate, much less respect,
someone in a leadership position who will fall for anything. Leaders know
their values and direction. More importantly, they make a point to give
their crew the chance to steer the business along the chartered course. In
the best businesses, team members are motivated by the chance to be
something greater than themselves. And the leader gives them that
opportunity.
What
are your core values? When you started your business, how did you want it to
run? What did you want to motivate people? Don’t worry about being
“wrong” when you answer these questions. The important thing is to
answer them. Perhaps, respect, open communication and on-time delivery of
service are your core values. For another business it may be delivering your
products at the lowest cost. The first step to commandeering your crew is
identifying the values by which you and your team are expected to
operate.
Remember
that people want integrity in their leaders. There's no faster way to create
mutiny than to lose the trust of your followers. If you find yourself having
difficulty abiding by the core values, how will you convince your team to do
the same? The values people see in you are those you act on, not those you
talk about. Your actions will always be consistent with your real values,
whether or not you are aware of or admit those values. Your core values
should be clearly stated in your business and strategic plan, important
employee communications and in interviews and reviews. More importantly,
they should be evident in your actions in everyday communication and
interactions with clients, crew and business partners. If there seems to be
a regular or frequent clash between the stated values and the behaviors of
the people in your organization, it’s time to assess the values, the
leaders and the business priorities.
It’s
important as the leader to know yourself well enough to know what your true
values are. If you discover that you actually value timeliness over
creativity, that’s your prerogative. Just be sure to change your message
to acknowledge it, or you change your actions so your team does not feel
lied to and frustrated as a result. Frustration is no way to motivate your
team to achieve your vision.
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