“Leader” is more than just a title—it’s a reflection of who you are as an individual and the values you hold. When you fully live out your beliefs, you can inspire others through your vision and mission to truly make a difference.

To be an authentic leader means to transcend the superficial and make a deep commitment to a set of principles, using them as a guide for all your decisions and interactions. This authenticity is not only the linchpin of effective leadership but also a foundational cornerstone for achieving sustainable success in today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape. The first step in this journey is clarifying your beliefs, which may already be deeply ingrained but undefined. By putting words to them, you can be better equipped to navigate the tough decisions that may arise and continue striving for the goals and vision you have for yourself and your organization.

Your values set your vision

Several years ago, my fellow leaders and I at ReminderMedia were looking to set new performance standards for our sales callers. At the time, we didn’t have any minimum requirements, and we felt it was important to establish some to help provide more measurable aims and push us to reach our mission. However, it didn’t go as smoothly as we’d hoped—after we started enforcing the standards, seventeen people quit in two weeks.

Looking back on it now, I stand by the decision to roll out performance requirements. I believed in our vision enough to be willing to shake the tree, and in the long run, it’s proven to be the right call. The problem, however, was our execution. We lost those employees because they didn’t understand the “why” behind what we were doing. And as their leader, that’s on me; I could’ve been, and really should have been, better. I needed to walk beside them and demonstrate the vision and value in these new standards of excellence, showing them that they were possible to meet.

The vision our leadership team had, the values I had for both myself and my organization, helped us make that tough call and get through the aftermath. And we’re ultimately stronger because of it. But what this story shows is that when you’re at the helm of a company, it’s vital to recognize that your visionary outlook can’t be self-contained—it must extend to the individuals under you. Ed Mylett once said, “You must sell a big enough vision that all of the dreams of everybody within your stewardship can fit inside of it.” A key way of doing that is by fully believing in your values and living them out before you put them onto your people.

Values that make a great leader

What you value serves as a moral compass that ultimately shapes your character and influences your leadership style. Your beliefs can help to establish authenticity, build trust with your team, and create an overall positive organizational culture. While these may vary from person to person and depend on your role, there are several I believe can make every leader stand out.

• Courage: Leaders are willing to take risks and make tough decisions, even in the face of adversity. You must stand up for your convictions and advocate for what is right regarding yourself, your team, and your organization.
• Empathy: Effective leaders understand the feelings of their employees. Demonstrate empathy by actively listening and considering the perspectives of each of your team members.
• Excellence: Always set high standards for yourself and your team. You should strive for continuous improvement and be dedicated to achieving the best possible results.
• Extreme ownership: As a leader, you must take responsibility for your actions and decisions, both good and bad. You have to be answerable to the outcomes of your choices, own your failures and successes, and lead by example in meeting your commitments.
• Humility: Acknowledge your weaknesses as well as your strengths. A leader needs to be open to feedback, willing to learn from others, and able to recognize that leadership is a continuous journey of growth.
• Integrity: You should be honest, ethical, and transparent in your actions, showing respect to every member of your team. Adhere to a strong moral and ethical code, and always make sure your behavior is consistent with it. • Service: Servant leadership involves prioritizing the needs of others and walking alongside your people. Focus on supporting and developing your team members, which will foster a culture of mutual growth and success.

Some of these values will rank higher for you than others, and you may also hold some that weren’t mentioned. And that’s OK—there is no right or wrong answer here. The important thing is to fully identify and embrace them so you can integrate each one into your leadership approach, creating an authentic and effective style that will make you somebody other people want to work with.

Put your values into action

I’ll say it this way: you have to practice what you preach. It’s not enough to simply know what your personal values are; they should become such an innate part of your identity that they seep into your daily interactions and operations. By putting your values into action in this way, you can bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement.

At ReminderMedia, we encourage our people to embody our FEARLESS values, practicing extreme ownership and taking action in their day-to-day. But it’s more than just an acronym—it’s a way of life, not only for my employees but also for me. As the president of the company, I need to exemplify each of our values before I can expect anyone else to. It’s my duty to my team to become the living embodiment of what it means to be FEARLESS.

I always go back to what I’ve identified as the four pillars of leadership: 1) set the vision, 2) inspire people to that vision, 3) hold them accountable, and 4) walk alongside them. As a leader, you are an architect who is shaping what is and isn’t possible for both the individuals on your team and your business itself. When you lead by example, such as when you get back on the sales floor and show how to be a closer, you set a standard of excellence your people can then work to meet. Whether you’re making calls or tackling intricate projects, your demonstration of shared challenges will foster rapport and inspire tangible results. And when your employees can witness you taking responsibility for your decisions and sticking to your values, they will develop more trust and confidence in you and your ability to guide them.

A great leader emerges when there is a clear vision—and that starts with defining your fundamental principles. By embracing selfawareness and aligning your values with your actions, you can forge a path of authenticity that not only benefits you personally but also has a positive impact on your team and organization.

TAKE ACTION:
Reflect on your personal values, and determine how you can better
incorporate them into your leadership style and inspire others to live them out as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Luke Acree is an authority on leadership, a lead-generation specialist, and a referral expert who has helped more than 100,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their companies. He hosts Stay Paid, a sales and marketing podcast, and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Foundr.com.