Two weeks ago, I wrote about Vision – a word that often ends up on the buzzword list. Not because it isn’t important, but because it sometimes becomes a polished line on a website rather than something truly lived and embodied in an organisation.
Values can easily fall into the same trap.
But they are more than words on a wall.
They are the foundation of how we act – visible in the way we interact, make decisions, and navigate daily life.
What are values and beliefs?
In the Change Pyramid, this layer is defined as Values and Beliefs. (Values and Beliefs).
🔹 Values guide our decisions and actions – they are our why. They determine what we consider important and shape how we prioritise our time, energy, and resources.
🔹 Beliefs are our assumptions about ourselves, others, and the world around us. They are the lenses through which we interpret reality.
🔹 Beliefs can be:
✅ Empowering – they move us forward and strengthen our growth.
❌ Limiting – they can hold us back and reinforce unhelpful patterns.
📌 The difference?
- Values are motivation – they drive our behaviours by defining what is meaningful and important.
- Beliefs are filters – they determine what we see as true or false, and shape what we believe is possible.
How are our values and beliefs formed?
We all carry our own inner rules of the game – some we have consciously chosen, others we have unconsciously absorbed through our upbringing and environment.
Imagine a tree:
🌳 The roots are our values – deep, stable, and often harder to change.
🍃 The branches and leaves are our beliefs – more flexible and changeable over time. Values can appear here too, but often less ingrained.
The parts above ground are what become visible – and what we are more aware of.
The challenge in larger settings
The more people involved, the more complex it gets. We might share the same values, yet interpret them very differently.
For example:
📌 An organisation has “Trust” as a core value.
But what does that mean in practice?
👉 For a manager, it might mean giving employees full responsibility and freedom to work independently.
👉 For an employee, it might mean that the manager actively offers support and guidance.
So even if we agree on a value, the definition and application can look very different. That’s why we need to talk about them,give examples, and revisit them as the organisation evolves. It’s also important to reflect on how they support the vision and identity in place.
Living your values – not just talking about them
It’s about more than saying the right things – it’s our actions that define whether we live our values.
🗣 Clear values create trust.
I feel the greatest trust towards people who act in line with their values. Not because they always get it right, but because they dare to say thank you, ask for help, or apologise when they realise their actions didn’t match their intentions.
Example of a trust-building leader:
💬 “I’ve been reflecting on what happened the other day. I said/did X, and that didn’t align with our values. I’m sorry.”
Owning your actions and acting in accordance with your values creates strong leadership – regardless of whether you have a formal leadership role or not.
How to clarify your values
📌 Step 1: Write down what matters to you
- What are your inner rules of the game?
- Which values guide your decisions?
📌 Step 2: Prioritise your values
- Which are most central for you?
- If you could only choose three (max five), which would they be?
📌 Step 3: Make them concrete
- Describe how each value shows up in action..
- How do you behave when you live your values?
📌 📌 Step 4: Reflect daily
Ask yourself these questions in the evening:
✅ How did I show my values today?
✅ How can I act even more in line with them tomorrow?
✅ Was there something that didn’t match? Should I say thank you, help, or sorry?
Values in organisations – from words to action
In many companies, values are neatly framed in the conference room. But how do they show up in everyday work?
👥 If you are a leader:
- Create dialogue around the values – what do they mean in practice?
- Encourage the team to share examples of when they see the values in action.
- Be a role model – show what the values mean through your own behaviour.
🌱 Values are not static
We grow, learn, and adjust our inner rules as we go. Sometimes we need to add a new value to better navigate life.
Example from my own journey:
A few years ago responsibility was one of my strongest values. But it was so dominant that I often put work first and neglected my own wellbeing.
When I realised this, I added sustainability as a value – making sure my actions don’t just work short term, but hold over time.
– making sure my actions don’t just work short term, but hold over time.
🛑 Is this sustainable?
💡 What can I do differently to take care of myself and be responsible?
That helps me make different choices and decisions today than I did back then. Aligned with my direction and vision, it feels more supportive – and I believe it will take me further.
Which values guide you?
Reflect on this:
🌟 What is important to you?
🌟 How do your values show up in daily life?
🌟 Is there a value you’d like to strengthen or reframe?
💬 I’d love to hear your reflections in the comments!
And if you’d like to explore your values on a deeper level – get in touch, and we can do it together.
#Leadership #Values #SelfLeadership #ChangePyramid #Reflection