Leadership Values: 10 Important Values for a Leader

Leadership values are the big-picture principles that direct a team leader’s decision-making and guidance of others. Many effective leaders single out a set of values they will apply when shaping company culture and leading professional initiatives. They choose paths that align with those values, and they reject paths that violate those values.

A strong leader’s set of professional values may also align with their own personal values, but this is not obligatory. In some cases, a great leader must set aside their own personal opinions if they do not conform with the culture of the company they lead. Instead of prioritizing their own beliefs, successful leaders defer to the company culture they have helped establish. This company-first leadership style works so long as the company culture is an ethical one that treats all stakeholders with respect.

Core leadership values give business executives and project managers a compass to guide the challenging decisions they will invariably face in a normal course of business. Sales opportunities, human resources challenges, marketing plans, and political alignments are some of the many sectors of corporate life that a manager can navigate with a strong set of leadership values.

A good leader with a clear grasp of company values will view each decision through the prism of company culture. By remaining faithful to these values, they ensure a consistent standard of excellence in their company and a consistent baseline in their treatment of others. A code of values can also give leaders the self-confidence needed to make impactful decisions. Understanding what does and does not conform to company culture can give a manager a sense of empowerment: As long as they respect company values, their decision will be the right one.

Many of the best leaders share a common set of values they apply to their work shepherding organizations. Here is a list of ten core leadership values to shape your own leadership development.

1. 1. Communication: Effective leaders not only possess strong communication skills; they also see the value in steady communication. They provide venues for team members to check in, exchange ideas, and learn about company initiatives. In some cases, leaders may even offer team member space to weigh in on those company initiatives with their own suggestions.
2. 2. Emotional intelligence: One way to become a better leader is to attune yourself to the well-being of others on your team. Great leaders refrain from treating their direct reports as cogs in a machine; rather, they regard them as human beings with emotional needs and professional goals of their own.
3. 3. Honesty: A consistently honest leader will engage team members with candor. They will deliver the same message to stakeholders throughout the organization. The message can stay consistent because honest leaders do not need to change their story for different audiences.
4. 4. Integrity: Integrity may supersede all other leadership qualities. Leaders who value integrity will likely act more ethically in their business dealings, both within the company and when dealing with outside parties. Ethical leaders understand there is more to a company than its bottom line; sustained success comes from treating all parties with integrity and never cheating to achieve a business goal.
5. 5. Open-mindedness: Strong leaders show adaptability, and they offer an open ear to different viewpoints. They understand that no one person can have all the answers—not even a CEO—and grant respect to those with different perspectives.
6. 6. Self-awareness: Wise leaders see the limits to their own skills and competencies. They assign themselves tasks that make use of their own best qualities, and they delegate the tasks better suited to others’ skills. Rather than ignore their own shortcomings, they acknowledge them and work to improve.
7. 7. Team empowerment: Effective leadership requires empowering other team members and letting them take on new roles within the company. Employees like the type of leader who invests in their personal growth as well as the growth of the company.
8. 8. Transparency: When you commit to transparency, you inspire trust among all stakeholders. Many strong leaders realize they do not need to keep secrets from their employees. Since they believe in trust and commit to transparency, they share important information—including strategic plans and financial data—with all relevant stakeholders.
9. 9. Vision: Leaders who display a sense of vision can chart a future path for themselves and their companies. This can inspire others and give them confidence in the company’s direction.
10. 10. Work ethic: Great executives and managers lead by example. If you, as a leader, continually put in hard work, you set a template for all team members. If you slack or show inadequate commitment, team members notice. In the long run, they may even mimic your lack of dedication.

Inspire your team by uncovering what drives your own decisions. With the MasterClass Annual Membership, learn how former CEO Indra Nooyi channeled her passions to lead a Fortune 500 company.