2014 has started out as a tough year for politicians. New Jersey’s Chris Christie has spent months rebutting allegations that members of his administration closed traffic lanes in Fort Lee, NJ, causing a massive jam on the George Washington Bridge. As subpoenas and investigations continue to roll in, Christie has shown there is such a thing as bad publicity, and his approval numbers have plummeted accordingly.
Wisconsin governor Scott Walker is dealing with a criminal investigation into whether his gubernatorial campaign staff illegally coordinated with county workers, when Walker was a county executive. Washington D.C. mayor Vincent Gray is similarly embroiled with accusations of the misconduct of his supporters and his trustworthiness has come under fire by voters.
What do these scandals have in common? Even if we assume that all the leaders are innocent of criminal wrongdoing, the perception may be that they are still guilty of being asleep at the wheel. Because of the actions of their officials, and their ignorance of what was going on under their noses, their reputations have been called into question, in some cases irreparably. Christie, in particular, has gone from becoming a 2016 presidential contender to defending his reputation and future as governor.
As a leader, people look to you to set the tone for what is and isn’t acceptable behavior. If people believe your ethics are lackadaisical, you can expect lapses in ethical behavior from them. Similarly, if people working under you display wrongdoing, it will be seen by others as tacitly endorsed by you.
It’s not enough to post a set of values on the entryway wall. You need to eat, sleep, breathe, and live these values yourself. Only then, can you hold your team accountable for the same. If you don’t lead by example, you run a huge risk that your team will see the values as mere noise and will act in ways that could damage your reputation.
If you find the values you’re setting incompatible with operating your business, you may need to reassess those values, or at least ask what’s preventing you from adhering to them.
For example, British Petroleum spoke in their marketing about “being green” and “taking care of the planet.” Then came the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP chief Tony Hayward commented that he was sorry about the lives it affected and that he would like his own life back. This tone-deaf response caused even worse publicity for BP and led to his exit. His lack of commitment to the company’s stated values had been exposed and he could no longer be taken seriously as a leader.
Can you think of a time in your life where you had to act to stay true to your values? Or a time when a strong emotion was triggered when you were prevented from acting? Asking yourself questions like these and paying attention to your past actions can be a good start for identifying the values most important to you. What convictions are you willing to stand by even at risk of professional or personal cost?
Let us know how you manifest your values and inspire your team to live them as well.