Lead With Strong Values

People expect their leaders to speak out on matters of values and conscience. But to speak out, leaders have to know what to speak about. To stand up for their beliefs, they have to know what they stand for. To walk the talk, to do what they say, they have to know what they want to say. To earn and sustain personal credibility, leaders must first be able to articulate deeply held beliefs. That is why the first of the leader commitments. It is where it all begins.

To become credible, leaders must first comprehend their deeply held beliefs — values, principles, standards, ethics, and ideals — that drive them. Leaders must choose the principles they will use to guide their decisions and actions and then genuinely express them.