Finding your values as a leader

Being a leader can be challenging as it is rewarding. Managing a team as well as navigating internal politics. Going through challenges creates pressure and can at times feel like you are losing yourself, your identity and with that a loss of confidence. Once you lose your confidence it can be hard to recover, when I am in challenging situations I always go back to my values and my unique skillsets as a designer first and I ask myself how can I use my skills to help me in that situation.  

My values are what keep me grounded and stops me from panicking and losing my confidence. So what are leadership values and how can you use them to not only help build your career but also to keep you grounded? 

Creating your values

Values are personal to you and are things that you think are critical in your life. They guide your choices and help define your core beliefs. 

When creating your values, think about your principles and beliefs. Think about previous environments you’ve been in and worked out, what worked well, when were you at your happiest. Think about how you lead and manage your team and what is important to you

Write down the key words that come to mind, there should be some themes that come through. Ideally you want 3-5 values, they should be things that resonate strongly with you. You might not be completely happy with the words but play with them until you find something that resonates with you. 

Using your values as a compass

There are 3 main areas I typically use my values:

• Job hunting

• Recruiting

• Keeping me grounded 

Job hunting - when job hunting, I use my values as a way to assess if a company aligns with my values because I know if a company doesn’t align with my values then it won’t work for me in the long term.

Recruiting - When recruiting for people in the team, I include in my assessment if they align with those values and the way I run the team. This is because I want to ensure that we have a healthy synergy in the team and that my management style works with them as a direct report. 

Keeping me grounded - My values often act as a personal compass, helping me in difficult decisions. They often anchor me as I navigate through circumstances and guide my choices. Using your values in this way can help maintain a sense of authenticity and provide clarity in uncertain times.

Leadership values are core to effective leadership and personal stability. Actively applying your core values can guide you through challenging times and help you make decisions that reflect your principles.