I have been thinking of values a lot lately. And especially in the context of leadership.

What is important to me?

Am I able to live up to my values?

What is the drawback - if I have to act and behave against my values? And what feelings does this provoke?

I firmly believe that good leaders are

• aware of their values. They know and understand what is important to them.

• able to - through their behavior - show others what is important to them.

• talk about their values and discuss with their team members the values they want to hold dear in the team.

Value-based leadership is a leadership approach based on a set of values and principles that guide leaders' actions and influence their team member's behavior. In this type of leadership, leaders focus on creating value for all stakeholders, including employees, customers, shareholders, and the community.

The key to value-based leadership is the development of a solid personal values system that can be used to guide decisions and actions. Leaders who embrace this approach are transparent in their decision-making and communicate along their values and belief systems.

But how do you find out about your true values? Here is a list of values by Brené Brown from her Dare to Lead initiative. You can download her list and go through the 100+ values.

Here is how to find your top 3 values:

1. From the list, write down nine values that resonate the most with you.

2. Then, cross out three values that are the least important from the nine.

3. After that, reflect on the 6. How do they make you feel? How well can you live up to these standards in your day-to-day leadership work?

4. Now, eliminate three more values to reach your top 3. A guiding question could be: "If I had to make a choice between these values, which ones would I never compromise on?"

5. Does your company have a set of corporate values? To what extent does your list correspond with them?

One of the critical benefits of value-based leadership is that it fosters a sense of purpose and meaning among employees. When leaders communicate their values and principles and lead by example, employees are more likely to feel motivated and engaged. This leads to higher levels of productivity and job satisfaction, which, in turn, leads to increased profitability and growth.