Dear Reader
I have been reflecting on values recently. Both personally, and in organisations I have led and supported.
The question is not:
What are your values?
It is:
What do they actually do for you?
Personal values: your decision filter
At their best, personal values help you:
🔹 Make decisions when the path is unclear
🔹Choose between good options, not just obvious ones
🔹 Say no without second-guessing yourself
🔹Stay consistent under pressure
They are not a list.
They are a filter.
When I was thinking about what to do after my CEO role, I came back to mine.
Not as a statement, but as a test:
Does this align with what matters most to me?
That clarity reduces noise.
Organisational values: shared guardrails
Organisational values should do something different.
They should help teams:
🔹Make consistent decisions across the organisation
🔹Navigate trade-offs
🔹Define what “good” looks like in practice
🔹Set boundaries on what is acceptable and what is not
But only if they are usable.
This is where most organisations fall short.
From words to action
Values often sit as nouns on a wall.
They sound good.
They are rarely used.
The shift is simple:
Turn them into statements that guide behaviour.
Instead of:
Impact
→ “We define success by outcomes, not activity.”
Integrity
→ “We do what is right, even when it is uncomfortable.”
Accountability
→ “We own outcomes and follow through.”
Collaboration
→ “We work across boundaries and prioritise shared outcomes over individual wins.”
Excellence
→ “We focus effort where it materially improves outcomes, not just polish.”
Now:
- Leaders can make decisions
- Teams can challenge each other
- Trade-offs become clearer
When values become principles, they guide actions and behaviours while leaving enough agility for one-off situations to be handled in a way that rigid rules cannot.
Where values become real
Values are not real when they are written down.
They are real when they shape:
- What you prioritise
- What you reward
- What you tolerate
- What you say no to
That is what makes them useful.
A simple test
Ask yourself:
- Are our values used in decision-making, or just referenced?
- Can teams use them to challenge each other?
- Do they help when there is no clear answer?
Final thought
Values are one of the most practical tools for leadership.
If they are not guiding actions and decisions, they are not doing their job.
Thanks for being part of this next chapter with me.
Warmly,
Liz
Strategic Advisor | Former CEO | Founder, Volante
Based in Kenya, available globally
