The value of values

In the book newly published by Kevin Murray (The language of leaders: How top CEO's communicate to inspire, influence and achieve results) knowing your true values emerges as  an integral part of providing inspirational leadership.  Quite simply when we speak in alignment with our own values our communication is more believable.  But I wonder how many people are actually in touch with what their core values are?

One way to uncover what really matters to you is to ask yourself the question: why?  This is something we instinctively knew how to do when we were toddlers learning about the world, but then as we grew up we presumed we knew and so didn't ask quite so much!

I am passionate about releasing potential.  Why is this important to me?  Because I believe that everyone has something special and unique to offer and when they get to bring it they experience greater fulfilment.  Why is this important?  Because living a fulfilled life brings a sense of personal freedom.  Why is this important? Because freedom to be and to choose and to become is probably the most important freedom of all.  So what is the value that undergirds my passion to release potential?

FREEDOM! How does this core value get expressed in my leadership? It is the drive behind being self-employed, It is the motivator behind eliciting the strategies that leaders use to achieve unwanted outcomes, it is the energy behind the WILD women in leadership development programme, it is the vision behind the Kairos Leadership Foundation, a charity being set up to support educational and micro enterprise initiatives in developing countries, it is the rationale for honest debate and exploration of matters of faith and it is the bedrock of my own understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

When we are deeply aware of our "why" we not only become more convincing communicators and more authentic leaders, but more centred and grounded human beings.  So, Kevin I think you are right, but a word of caution; operating out of a connected and conscious understanding of our core values cannot be applied as some sort of "management" tool to enhance our believability.  Why?  because it would lack credibility and congruence.  Why is that important?  because our core values need to be genuine.  Why is that important? Because otherwise we would lack integrity.  Why is that important? Because INTEGRITY matters!