“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.”

~ John Buchan

Have you ever encountered leaders who bend the rules or exploit loopholes to land the next big deal or gain recognition?

Or you’ve witnessed organizations prioritizing legality over what’s right for their employees, customers, and stakeholders.

As leaders, especially those striving for excellence, we all reach a crossroads that tests our values. The real question is: how do we stay grounded in our principles while driving success?

This Week’s Mastery Tip: Build a culture driven by strong values

In today’s fast-paced, hyper-transparent world, how you lead isn’t just about profit margins. It’s about how you treat your people, those who trust you to lead with vision and care. Research consistently shows that companies with strong cultures outperform their competitors. According to a study by Gallup, highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability.

The secret?

A culture driven by strong values.

Values and foundational principles shape every decision you make as a leader. They become your Guiding Principles for Success (GPS). Your GPS determines your leadership style and the culture you create. When you lead with clear values, you establish a moral compass…a framework that becomes your team’s foundation of trust, accountability, and success.

Great leaders know that their GPS guides their decisions and anchors their leadership consistently and clearly. A well-defined GPS empowers teams to trust the leader’s decisions, even during challenging times. As leaders openly communicate these principles, they transform into the team’s shared values, creating a culture where accountability and mutual respect are standard.

Trust Unlocks Innovation

When I first arrived at one of my most challenging organizations, the atmosphere was tense, almost palpable. The team I had inherited was full of talented individuals, yet something crucial was missing. Meetings felt more like obligations than opportunities to collaborate. People stuck to their scripts, hesitant to voice ideas or take risks. The energy in the room was stifling, and I could see that fear had taken root, fear of judgment, failure, and, ultimately, of losing their jobs.

I quickly realized the problem wasn’t a lack of skill or knowledge. It was trust. There was no safety net for the team to lean on. Instead of brainstorming freely or experimenting with new ideas, people were holding back, afraid that one misstep could be their downfall. Fear and distrust weren’t just affecting morale, it was paralyzing the team’s ability to innovate, adapt, and move forward.

I knew we needed a shift. We needed a GPS that could lead us out of this fear-driven environment. So, I established a well-defined framework, a set of core values that would serve as our compass. These principles would guide every decision we made and every interaction we had. Accountability, respect, and trust became non-negotiables, and we worked together to define what they would look like in action.

Over time, something incredible happened. With our GPS in place, the sense of safety grew. People started taking calculated risks, knowing their team members or management would not punish them for trying something new or making mistakes. Creativity flourished. Team members began to speak up, offering fresh ideas without the fear of being shut down. And soon enough, innovation followed.

The team transformed. Where there had once been hesitation, there was now boldness. Where people once kept their heads down, they now looked forward, ready to take on challenges. It was as if our GPS had lifted the weight of fear and replaced it with a culture of trust and empowerment.

The People Behind The Numbers

When we care for the well-being of our people, we’re not just fostering loyalty, we’re driving the entire organization’s success. According to a report from the Harvard Business Review, companies with high levels of employee engagement see a 23% increase in profitability. Engaged employees bring their best selves to work, and this has a direct impact on productivity and innovation.

As leaders, it’s vital to ask yourself: are you leading with people in mind? Or are you solely focused on the numbers? The truth is, when we prioritize the well-being of our teams, the numbers follow. Success isn’t measured by how much we accumulate but by our impact on those we lead.

So, take a moment to reflect on your leadership. Are you creating a culture where people feel valued, trusted, and empowered to contribute their best?

Authentic leadership goes beyond performance metrics, it’s about nurturing the greatness that already exists in every individual on your team.

In partnership and purpose,

Suzan