Why Hold to Your Highest Values?

Why should leaders hold to their highest values during these times?

I’ve been asking this question ever since I was visited by a former employee from the restaurant I used to own with my husband. He had just quit a job due to bad leadership.

He said he took that job because the company was locally-owned-and-operated and espoused good values, just like our restaurant where he enjoyed working.

But, he said, he found they were just as bad as any major corporation he’d ever worked for. He felt deceived.

This raised two questions:

1️⃣ Why is there so much bad leadership? Especially at the highest levels.

2️⃣ Why should leaders bother holding to their highest values? Especially when so many bad leaders are succeeding at the highest levels?

His answer was:
💠 “To be brave. How many Hero’s Journey stories have we seen? Here’s your opportunity.”

I started asking the highest values question to my friends who are leaders—most of whom are ADHD, Autistic, or AudHD. Here are some of their answers:

💠 “So, I can look myself in the mirror.”

💠 “To create the world I want to live in.”

💠 “Because the people above you are not the ones really watching you. Your team is.”

My answer is:

💠 “Because humans are at our most powerful when we hold to our highest values.”

A throughline of my coaching is:
You can take on the world if you’re not fighting yourself.

When you compromise your values, you’re fighting yourself.

➡️ And really, I think the question is more important than any one answer.

Now I ask you:
❔ Why do you think leaders should hold to their highest values.

Please share your answer in the comments, and also with someone on your team.

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This is the Philosophical Layer of my coaching: Where ideas, ethics, and meaning become the bedrock of leadership.

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The 21st century needs ADHD Leaders.
If this is you, I want to support you.

Soon I’ll have room for two new clients.
Watch this space.

Just curious?
Comment. DM me. Keep reading my posts.