Why Leadership Values Matter in Troublesome Times

What happens when a value you hold dearly gets in the way of your leadership decisions?

I’m lucky to coach some wonderful leaders who are well in connection with their core values and bring these to their everyday leadership demonstrating how they show up in the world. These are particularly the case for ‘human-centred’ values such as Creativity, Vulnerability, Curiosity, Courage. I see all these and more but one value I’m observing more than ever is Empathy.  This is in response to the current financial climate for leadership in businesses and organisations in general.

Many leaders are finding themselves in foreseen AND unexpected situations where they are having to make tough financial decisions. Financial compromises leading to the reduction of all kinds of resources, including their most important resource, their people. These empathetic leaders are sharing the feelings of those at risk of change, sometimes redundancy, by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation thus making these crucial choices so difficult. This can result in sleepless nights, being distant and distracted, and sometimes even finding it hard to think straight. Clients have gone round in circles repeatedly asking themselves if they are making the right decision. They can often feel very alone.

Working with these caring, empathetic leaders brings me hope and optimism as we are often seeing a lack of empathy in public leadership. I certainly don’t wish them to feel this despair as they navigate through this, and therefore try to work positively with them on what other values/qualities are useful to employ to help support them make the right decision. Often we arrive at fairness (equity), courage and big picture/greater good beliefs. So rather than put a person at the core of their dilemma, they ask themselves is this the right thing to do? Is it fair? Will it be the right thing for the organisation?

Once they have clarity with this, we discuss whether they can test their resolutions out with others. Can they use their vulnerability and trust values to discuss their thinking with someone else who understands the organisation and the workforce. Can they have robust honest conversations, allowing themselves to be challenged? Can they test whether they have they been honourable, just and strategic in their thinking process?

This helps bring determination to their leadership, a resilience to act and a belief they are doing the right thing while still holding onto their empathy which means so much to them. They don’t have to feel so alone.

This is not an easy time for organisations but if as leaders we remember our purpose AND our values, we can make decisions no matter how challenging. Ultimately though, if, in our current times, we’re struggling between values of empathy and equity we’re already doing better than some and those we lead will know that. That’s the best we can do in situations like these….

I certainly appreciate you.