self-reflection, balance, true self-confidence, and genuine humility. On a personal level, these principles become the basis of intentional actions and deep commitments that enable each person at every level of an organization to bring his or her best self to work. At an organizational level, these four principles, when applied, enable the creation of a values-based organization.
In these pages, I give both explanations and concrete examples, drawing from my own experiences, and my interactions with leaders at every level. I include interviews with 10 values-based leaders from diverse organizations, ranging from small to large, private to public, for-profit to not-for-profit, and domestic to global. This book lays out a pathway from understanding the four principles to putting them into practice in what I believe are five key areas that define what it means to be a values-based leader and build a world-class organization. They are:
1. Best Self: You actualize who you are meant to become with fuller self-knowledge and a deeper understanding that in order to positively influence and lead people, you first need to relate to them.
2. Best Team: All team members understand and appreciate what they're doing, why they're doing it, and how that fits with and fulfills the goals and objectives of the organization.
3. Best Partner: The organization and its vendors and suppliers forge a partnership in order to enhance the customer experience. Each party understands what the organization is trying to do and why, as it provides products and/or services.
4. Best Investment: Everyone in the organization focuses on generating a return for the owners (whether stockholders, debt holders, a foundation, or other stakeholders) through positive and meaningful actions that support the mission, vision, and values of the organization. As a best investment, an enterprise also commits to developing its greatest asset – the talented team members at every level of the organization. The “hard numbers” of best investment are also the proof points that values-based leadership truly does elevate performance over the long term.
5. Best Citizen: From the C-suite to the most junior levels of the organization, everyone is focused not only on success, but also significance, through social responsibility and making a difference in the world, beyond the organization and its people. Beyond philanthropy for charity's sake, best citizenship embraces a broader purpose in what we think of as social responsibility.
Each of these bests connects to the others in a holistic structure that elevates the organization, its people, and its purpose. This book mirrors the structure with five interconnected sections, building on the firm foundation of the four principles of values-based leadership.
In Section One, we begin with the individual and becoming your best self as you practice self-reflection to identify your values and commit to act in accordance with them. In this section, we also look at how self-reflection is a valuable tool for developing a balanced perspective, making decisions aligned with one's values, and focusing on what is most important. Two additional components of being your best self are achieving true self-confidence and genuine humility, which are extremely complementary. Working in tandem, these two principles allow you to acknowledge what you know and what you don't, and to value each person with whom you interact.
In Section Two, we broaden our scope from the individual to the collective, with the best team. In the values-based organization, every team member is able to link what he or she does to the overall goals and objectives of the organization. They know that what they do truly matters, and so they commit to doing their best. Developing a best team will be examined in two different contexts: first, turning around a dysfunctional environment and, second, in a fast-paced startup where roles and responsibilities are demanding and fluid.
In Section Three, we widen our perspective outside the organization to become a best partner with suppliers and vendors in order to enhance the customer experience and create value for all. An organization that is a best partner moves beyond financial transactions with customers, and focuses on making customer satisfaction a priority. Within the organization, every department and team – including those that are removed from direct customer interface – are able to link what they do with creating a meaningful customer experience.
Section Four examines what it means to be a best investment, with returns that are measured in more than monetary terms. Being a best investment applies to all organizations – large and small, public and private, corporations and nonprofits – with accountability to stakeholders who want to see evidence that organizational values are being put into action in pursuit of a meaningful return. This section will address the steward leader, who uses self-reflection to examine how team members are motivated and rewarded. In addition, discussion will address team members who need to know if their organization fits their values – and what they can do about it.
The book culminates in Section Five with becoming a best citizen. Part of the mission of both the values-based leader and the values-based organization is to set a standard as a best citizen, making a difference in the local community and in the world. This section will address social responsibility to further the priorities and initiatives that are truly meaningful to the organization and its team members. When an organization is a best citizen, it also encourages people to be their best selves, while developing best teams and best partners, and becoming a best investment – the ultimate win/win. It is a powerful legacy that is both highly personal and yet extends beyond the efforts or ego of any one person.
The need and desire to become the best through values-based leadership have never been stronger or more critical. Organizations today – large or small, public or private – are confronted with ethical issues, which may result from changes in regulations or uncertainty around where the legal, moral, and ethnical boundaries lie. Large, global organizations face the challenges of operating within a varied tapestry of multiple markets, regions, and countries with unique legal systems and regulations. Even smaller organizations focused on a single market or region must navigate a competitive landscape marked by gray areas that are open to interpretation. Within these complexities, and given the serious consequences of making an error in judgment, values-based leadership is the only way to operate. When a problem arises, it is crucial that individuals at all levels of the organization adopt a values-based leadership approach. That means they are committed to doing the right thing at all times – and doing the best they can do.
Values-based leadership is more than just a defensive playbook for how to respond when a dilemma, problem, or crisis arises. It is a way of thinking, acting, and operating at every level of the organization. We cannot merely look at the world and complain about a lack of leadership in general or values-based leadership in particular. We must be change agents within our organizations, communities, and society at large. The values we embrace must be visible to others by our actions, decisions, and how we interact with and treat others. As I have seen in my own life and career, and in those of many others I have worked with, individuals and organizations can be both financially successful and also a force for good.
One of those examples is Andrew Youn, co-founder of One Acre Fund. After graduating from Kellogg with an MBA, Andrew decided to devote himself and his hard-earned knowledge to addressing the problem of hunger in East Africa. By teaching and promoting best practices in agriculture, One Acre Fund has improved the health and raised the hopes of more than 200,000 farm families, touching more than one million people in Kenya and Rwanda, as well as Burundi and Tanzania. Its goal is to positively impact more than 20 million children by 2025. To salute and support Andrew in his commitment to be his best, I will donate my proceeds from this book (as I do with From Values to Action) to One Acre Fund (www.oneacrefund.org).
Guided by self-reflection, informed by a balance of perspectives, and defined by both true self-confidence and genuine humility, values-based leaders at every level make a difference in their organizations. Their values
