The Core Leadership Values You Should Know About

Every leader abides by certain leadership values when making decisions, executing plans, and strategizing operations. Leadership values refer to the core beliefs that one uses in their personal and professional life. Think of them as basic principles that outline the things leaders prioritize and consider the most important.

While there are plenty of leadership values you should try to exhibit, the following are worth mentioning:

Patience
Many people undermine the value of patience in leadership. This is a virtue that can be tricky to master as it requires you to be comfortable with delayed gratification. In the case of leadership roles, being patient means not getting frustrated with new employees who’re just getting the hang of things, allowing room for growth, and conducting effective training when needed. It also means not expecting instant results, acknowledging that there will be hurdles and unexpected scenarios, and keeping your cool when things get complicated and frustrating.

Empathy
Empathy is just as important as patience. As a leader, you need to be understanding of your team members’ and peers’ feelings and exhibit empathy during your interactions. The key is to respond, not react. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are able to build meaningful connections with others and improve their productivity and efficiency levels.

Adaptability
How well you’re able to respond to change also affects your leadership abilities. This is why adaptability is a core leadership value, as it allows leaders to prepare for and embrace change and effectively adjust to the new environment. Leaders shouldn’t shy away from change. In cases where the inevitable change isn’t beneficial or positive, they should have the tools to quickly adjust to the situation and optimize their future plans accordingly.

Humility
Nobody likes a leader who acts like they know it all. Let’s be honest; we’re all works in progress. There’s no reason to pretend that you know everything and act that you can’t be wrong. A little humility goes a long way. If you’re willing to accept and take accountability for your mistakes and recognize a gap in knowledge and seek expert advice, you’ll be able to make better and more informed decisions in the future.

Passion
Finally, if a leader isn’t passionate about their cause, they wouldn’t be able to inspire their team either. You should genuinely care about your work and exhibit passion for the cause to motivate others and achieve your goals. A lack of passion can result in your team feeling that they don’t have a real purpose passionate and make them detached from their work.

Youth With A Future is a non-governmental organization that provides youth leadership development and growth opportunities. We offer workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities to help younger audiences develop core leadership skills.

Youth With A Future is also currently accepting donations to help young adults and adolescents unlock their leadership potential.