Do You Possess the Values of a Truly Courageous Leader? September 23, 2021 by Belinda EganThere are many positive character traits and skills that good leaders possess naturally – a cheerful disposition, boldness, and confidence. But, there are some important values that really effective leaders have that make the difference between a courageous leader and “just another boss.” The good news is that all these values, unlike inborn character traits, can be trained, practiced, and perfected over time. *We researched multiple resources and found these common “top values” for leaders in 2021: Authenticity Empathy Humility Respect Resilience What do all these values have in common? They’re all about leaders showing up as real people – vulnerable, transparent, brave, and courageous – and treating all team members with kindness. Let’s break down these five values and look at how they might present themselves in the daily challenges of being an effective leader. Authenticity When you are faced with a situation that requires honesty to your team members, board members, investors, or senior roles above yours, do you step up to the plate and say what needs to be said? Is it more important for you to be sincere, clear, and straightforward than to make others “feel good” about tough calls or awkward situations? Are you able to easily distinguish between “trying your best” and “trying to be the best?” If so, you’re probably high in authenticity! You value being honest over being right. You can be sure that your team appreciates knowing who you are and what you represent for them and the company. Authenticity is one of the highest priority values for executives and other leaders because it’s the difference between leading as a “real person” who relates well to team members and an emotionally disconnected boss who intimidates and confuses their team. Empathy When a team member expresses frustration, sadness, or confusion – what’s your first reaction? You put out a lot of fires every day, and sometimes team member struggles can feel a bit like “piling on.” But how you respond to your team’s struggles, confusion, and stress is where empathy really shines. Empathy is the ability to see a struggle from the perspective of the person having it. Whether you’ve been directly in their shoes before, you’re able to imagine the feelings and thoughts they’re having – or you know how to ask the right questions to understand their feelings and thoughts better. Using this perspective, you’re able to gently lead team members through difficult tasks or situations while respecting their autonomy and experience. Empathy is a highly valued skill in courageous leadership because it connects you with your team members in a way that makes them feel seen, heard, and understood. A highly empathetic leader will always step back from a situation and view it from the multiple perspectives of the individuals involved. Humility When you know – and acknowledge – what you don’t know, you’re practicing humility. A humble leader… Asks questions instead of assuming. Is okay with saying, “I don’t know the answer to that – so let’s find out together!” Doesn’t jump to conclusions or sweep facts under the rug that don’t serve the purpose of the mission or organization. Looks at many pieces of a puzzle and says, “I know where some of these pieces fit, and someone else knows where the others go. Let’s work together!” Humility is a highly valued trait in leadership because humility is kindness. It’s putting others before yourself. It’s collaborative and gentle. It helps team members to feel respected and seen as important and needed. Humility in leadership leads to more happiness, more satisfaction, and a more fulfilling role as a team leader. Respect We all know and feel when we’re being respected as individuals. On the opposite end, it’s very obvious to us when respect is lacking. Practicing mutual respect in leadership is a crucial value because, without it, power imbalances flourish, high turnover rates can occur, and organizations can ultimately crumble from the inside out. Respect for individuals can be hard to practice when your leadership skills are challenged by those who are very difficult to lead – but this is when respect is most important to practice! The best way to know if you are practicing respect for everyone in your organization is to ask yourself, “if this person disagrees with a choice I make, can I be okay with that? Can we come to a solution together based on their experience and understanding?” If the answer to these questions is no, you should likely spend more time trying to understand the perspective of this challenging team member and remember that disagreement doesn’t mean that you can’t come to a solution together. A respectful leader is willing to place their pride aside and ask, “How can I help you with this?” Resilience Your job requires constant learning, pivoting, delegating, planning, and readjusting. The flurry of constant decision-making can become a lot at times. Your energy levels naturally dip over time, especially during high-stress seasons of change and big projects. A resilient leader rallies again and again. They keep stepping up to the bat, understanding what’s at stake, and believing in what can be achieved by the organization. Resilience shows up when the pressure is on. But most often, it’s not a naturally occurring value; on the contrary, resilience is a choice and a practice. Continue going to bat for your team and your mission when things get tough – without resentment, without complaint – and you’re well on your way to saying you’re a resilient leader. The values above can all be fostered and grown over time; they rarely happen naturally. If you feel like some of these values could use some work in your leadership, grab my FREE Leadership Values Guide below to help lay the foundation for setting and achieving your big goals! You’re well on your way to leading courageously! – Belinda Leadership Values Guide –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sources* The 13 Essential Leadership Values for Anyone Leading a Team | BetterUp Core Leadership Values | George Mason University Leadership Values: 14 Core Values of Successful Leaders | RLX Business Solutions