Connecting Shared Values and Every Day Behaviors

In an earlier post I have mentioned The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner. Great book!!! If you want to know why check out my earlier post about this great resouce.

Kouzes and Posner identify five key practices that great leaders share. They are

1. Personally modeling the way,
2. Inspiring a shared vision,
3. Challenging the process,
4. Enabling others to act,
5. And encouraging the heart.

Each of these five key practices are linked to Commitments leaders make. Their second chapter "Set an Example" calls for leaders to commit to "set the Example by Aligning Actions with Shared Values" this is one of those important "your actions speak louder than words" reminders.

According to Kouzes and Posner there are "5 essential aspects" to a leader's behavior/actions that leaders "need to be conscious about in their efforts to align shared values through the example of the actions they take:"

1. Calendars: "How you spend your time is the single clearest indicator, especially to others, about what's important to you." (pg.85)
2. Critical Incidents present opportunities for leaders to teach important lessons about appropriate norms of behavior (pg.86)
3. Stories, analogies, and metaphors: They are engaging (even if you are not) and help others understand what is important (purpose and values) and how things are done. (pg.88)
4. Language: Choose your words and questions deliberately, they communicate what we hope for and what we expect of others (pg.90)
5. Recognize that what gets measured gets done (pg.92)

So pause for a moment and look at your day, your context, your relationships, your imagination, your words and the results you monitor. Are you experiencing a connection between your values and your actions? Others will have already decided if the connection is there.