As a leader, have you ever wondered how you can lead from a place of integrity while balancing risk-taking and aligning with your core values? This is a little bit tricky, isn’t it? First off, let’s define integrity. Integrity is when you do what you say and say what you do. In other words, it’s when your words and actions line up and are congruent with one another. It means to live in alignment with your core values.
For many of us, our core values revolve around love, relationships, honesty and transparency, and doing what’s best for ourselves and for others. Risk-taking, on the other hand, is stepping outside of your comfort zone. It could mean risking being vulnerable, embarrassed, or even rejected. So, in this article, we’re exploring the balancing act all leaders must learn when it comes to core values and risk-taking.
Learning and Understanding Your Unique Values
I remember when I was in martial arts. I was working my way up the ranks and had earned my black belt. One day, my instructor told me that I couldn’t get too friendly, personal, or close with the lower belts (many of whom I was good friends with). He told me that I should create space and distance. I was a young girl, only about 18 at the time.
And I looked up to him at that point. So I just took that on as truth. “In order for me to be a leader, I can’t be close with people, or they’re not going to respect me.” That was the message. But that is not who I am. One of the biggest lessons I took away from that experience was the importance of aligning with my core values.
That experience made my heart sad, not just because of the toxic instructor but also because I was living out of alignment with my values, which are love and relationships. And those may not be yours, and that’s okay. We are all different and unique in our own ways, and that’s what makes each of us special.
So, you need to learn, understand, and honor your values. And then, you need to align with them.
Why Risk-Taking is Crucial
Once you understand your core values, you need to make a decision. And that’s to decide to move toward the vision that those values are aligned with. And that’s where risk-taking comes into play because that vision will most likely scare you—a lot. And the thing that will allow you to take that risk is being vulnerable.
It’s ironic because being vulnerable is often seen as being weak; however, vulnerability is actually a strength because it requires courage—particularly as leaders.
It can feel daunting having to share something, and there is uncertainty about how other people are going to respond. It could be a new idea or a new way of being. But the purpose behind it is to move forward toward that vision. The one thing that will reduce the anxiety associated with risk-taking is to ensure the psychological safety of your team.
For this reason, it’s essential to create that psychological safety within your team first. This allows everyone to feel safe expressing themselves, their ideas, and their concerns.
Final Thoughts
At Flourishing Workplace, we believe in changing the world by changing the workplace. Moreover, we strive to create a workplace where everything belongs, everyone contributes, and everyone thrives. If you’re interested in creating this kind of culture in your organization, we’d love to hear from you. Be sure to book a free discovery session, during which we’ll provide you with a detailed roadmap on how to implement a thriving workplace culture within your organization.
About the Author
Rosalyn Fung is coined “The CEO’s Secret Weapon”. She is a Transformational Leadership Business Coach, Spiritual Guide, and Flourishing Workplace™ Trainer & Facilitator and Keynote speaker. With over a decade of neuroscience experience, she mentors CEOs, Business Owners, Realtors, Leaders and teams to stop energy leaks, optimize their leadership skills, and cultivate deeper connections and satisfaction in their love life, family, and personal and professional relationships.
As a former Psychologist for over 10 years in private practice, Rosalyn draws from her experience to help people overcome roadblocks and rewrite their narrative, delving into the depths to uncover the root causes of barriers and trains people how to rewire the subconscious mind for unstoppable success along with enhancing their mental wealth. Renowned as a sought-after speaker and facilitator, Rosalyn combines bold energy with profound concepts to demonstrate how to elevate, energize, and expand our capacity for transformative growth.