My values as a leader are inline with my values as a human. Deep down to my core, I want to bring value to my team, and I want them to trust me because they see my values. Does this mean that these values come to me every day without effort? Absolutely not. I face multiple days every month where I think, “boy, today would be a lot easier if I did not care.” These intrusive thoughts come when I have a distraction in place or when my team is facing adversity that I know will pass with time. Although the adversity will pass, if I allow this attitude to come with me to work, I will be doing myself and my team a disservice, and I will be tarnishing my reputation in the process. It is my duty to get rid of my distractions and help my team overcome any adversity they may face.
We need to make the conscious decision to follow our core values, even when it isn’t the easiest decision. Our team must be able to count on us to be consistent, no matter what uphill battle we may be facing. Is anything preventing you from staying true to your values today? How are you overcoming this? I have seen leaders with the potential to be great, lose credibility because their mind was somewhere else, or their focus was not on their team. Credibility is extremely hard to regain after it is lost, and I urge you to remember that next time you are tempted to stray away from your core values.
Servant Leadership 