Values are critical to leadership.  They behave as a spine; it’s a crucial component that is hard to live without.  We use our values to make important decisions about priorities in our personal and professional life.  Values define who we are.  Values mean success; they are a subconscious mind thought process.  Values are one of the most important hidden factors which control our ambitions, dreams, and drive in our daily life.  They help focus and align our life choices.  Our goals and life purpose are grounded in our personal and professional values.  When we honor those values that we have set, life is delightful.

As leaders, we are exposed to so many challenges.  Some of these challenges are making the right decisions and confronting members if they are drifting away from a specific task.  As a leader, people expect a lot from you; they look up to you, come to you for guidance, and share personal and work related matters with you.  I believe this is because you are like a role model to them.  That is why, as leaders, we are pressured to set such high standards when it comes to values.  When leaders adopt such essential values, it becomes easier for them to handle complex situations.

In almost all cases, leaders often like to develop a connection with their teammates to make a task more enjoyable.  They become friends; and in those cases, it would be very difficult for leaders to confront their teams’ about something that is not right.  That is why values are so important.  A leader with high moral standards would confront the issue while showing respect at the same time.  He or she would be honest about how they felt while showing their sense of humor to make the situation less stressful.  That way, a leader will grow in the eyes of his or her team.  They will be more approachable.

Honesty is one of the most important values someone could have.  It is something that I abide by every single day.  Honesty reflects who you are; as a person, leader, father, mother; the list can go on.  If you are not honest, life has no meaning to you.  Commitment is another one that I highly value.  A leader expect his or her team to work hard; he or she must lead by example and work just as hard.  A member of a team would look at a leader for motivation; if a leader is not contributing, why should a member show effort?  Positive attitude is also an important value.  A leader should develop personal connections with his or her team to keep the energy level up.  Anything from providing personal advice to grabbing coffee with someone and talking about random things will balance the mood between work and fun.