Putting values in action

Have you encountered situations wherein a certain action by the other party (e.g.brand, company, leader, team member, family member, etc.) is in contradiction to what they claim to be their core value? A simple example could be a telecom brand claiming to be customer-centric, but their response time to queries extends into days and multiple repetitive follow-ups. This is applicable to us as individuals also.

During a recent leadership session we had, the moderator asked us about leaders we worked with in the past & who do we remember & for what reasons. The character of the leader was unanimously called out by the participants. On reflection, what I discovered was the consistency in their behaviors and their claimed core values. For example, some were selfish and only wanted to further their agenda, but claimed they are not. It got exposed when their behaviors were inconsistent because inevitably their selfishness would be exposed through their actions (typically, this happens when the going gets tough!). Those were the moments when everyone noticed the say-do gap- their behaviors were different from their claimed core values.

The takeaway for me was that we cannot sustain faking a different value if it’s not truly what we believe in. The true test of character of a leader is when he/she is able to demonstrate, authentically, their core values by living them day-in-day-out.

How to ensure we’re putting our values in action:

Step 1: Clarify, write down values you want to stand for (e.g. health)

Step 2: Be mindful, aware of your behaviors/actions & whether they’re in line with your values. (e.g. exercise regularly to take care of your health)

Step 3: Pause, reflect, course-correct if needed

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