By Dr Tareq Rasheed, International Consultant and Trainer
Organisational growth and strategic achievements is based on successful managerial systems that have well defined strategies, policies and procedures. Leadership is thus a very much needed to support management.
The art of influencing
Value-Based Leadership (VBL) is the art of influencing employees and their actions by well-directed values.
This type of leadership is crucial for management sustainability throughout the life cycle of any organisation.
What are values?
Values are guiding principles that help set the direction for performance. These principles can differ based on individual beliefs, cultures, societies, business sectors and even schools.
Values and walking the talk
Values are of two main types: those governing performance and those of attitude. Both need strong leadership to create a model of sustainable growth.
Management and leadership have different methods for achieving goals, but they work together to ensure performance, stability and long-term business success.
What›s important is to demonstrate these values through behaviour and actions, rather than just showing off well-crafted quotes painted on walls without follow-through. Ultimately, leaders influence employees by setting an example and being committed to these values themselves.
Leadership
The ability to influence followers to achieve goals is the most crucial factor in enhancing employee satisfaction and achievement.
This is what leadership is all about: being the driving force that motivates employees to achieve both their personal goals and the organisation’s objectives in an environment of engagement, commitment and satisfaction.
Challenges
Two main factors can accelerate failure in an organisation: poor management and leadership crises.
The primary strategic difference between management and leadership is that management is results and goal-oriented, while leadership is human and value-oriented.
When leaders are committed to values, they become role models for their followers, which boosts performance and achievement. Therefore, Value-Based Leadership is the key to sustainable leadership.
The pillars of values
Principles: These are the guiding rules that form the core beliefs of individuals, acting as a sensor and compass to show and monitor direction at both personal and organisational levels.
References: All values stem from various references and the diversity of these references is vast. Among human values that are universally believed in, the two highest are fairness and the freedom to choose.
When fairness is compromised, societies and organisations suffer, leading to inevitable failure. Values, and as discussed, are often derived from the cultures and societies in which people live, so Eastern and Western cultures may differ in some values. This can sometimes cause contradictions and result in cultural gaps.
On a smaller scale, values can be derived from specific fields or industries. For instance, in the medical sector, values such as care, attentiveness, and empathy are crucial, while these might not be as relevant in fields like the military or engineering. Initially, values are often shaped by parents and elementary schools.
As Napoleon Bonaparte famously said, “Give me good mothers and I shall give you good nations.” This underscores the idea that values start at home. Schools then become the second home for values, where students begin learning from teachers who serve as role models.
Countries where ethics are part of the elementary school curriculum, such as Japan, Singapore, and Finland, have seen significant achievements in their societies.
These nations are recognised for their top-ranking education systems and accelerated economic growth. Japan, for example, transformed from devastation after World War II and two atomic bombings into a leading force in the IT and automobile industries.
Similarly, Singapore went from being a poor country in 1963 to becoming a major economic powerhouse with one of the best educational systems globally.
Attitudes: Once values are established and taught, they should be reflected in people’s attitudes. For example, babies often mimic their mothers because they learn by mirroring, with the mother serving as a role model and guiding their attitudes.
Similarly, in elementary schools, students’ behaviours often reflect the values they’ve learned from their teachers. Over time, these values influence attitudes in various fields of expertise throughout society.
Implementing Value-Based Leadership methodologies in education and other sectors is essential for enhancing societal performance, sustainability and growth.
You can contact Dr Tareq Rasheed at [email protected]
