| How Values Affect Leadership. | | | | mediocre, or ineffective, while anothermay |
| | | | see it entirely different. A leader who |
| When we engage in the process of reviewing a | | | | prioritizes people andenvironmental |
| leader in the conventionalsense of the word, | | | | well-being, for instance, will consider a |
| meaning as a person who is in charge of | | | | decision to investin the community in |
| guiding otherstoward a certain goal, we | | | | sacrifice of part of the companyÆs annual |
| cannot escape also examining his or her | | | | profitsuccessful, while one who prioritizes |
| values. | | | | the companyÆs statistical |
| | | | performancemight not.b) Strategies toward |
| In leadership, there are two types of values | | | | goal achievement: a leader with higher |
| that play an important role: | | | | ethical valuesmay prefer a more long-winded |
| | | | yet people-favoring way toward |
| 1) Personal values: those perceptions about | | | | goalachievement, than one who wants fast |
| what matters and what not,what is important | | | | evidence of his or her |
| and what not, and what is allowed and what | | | | lucrativeperformance.c) Human Resource |
| not. Thesevalues are mainly inherited from | | | | management: a leader who prioritizes the |
| oneÆs upbringing in a certain | | | | interests of hisor her workforce will |
| environment. | | | | probably advocate larger investments in |
| | | | training,diversity, and making sure the right |
| 2) Organizational values: the principles that | | | | people are in the right place, whereasa |
| are fundamental to theinstitution the leader | | | | leader who is out for the numbers will be |
| leads. These values are, in turn, | | | | more inclined to limit thebudget available |
| oftentimesdetermined by the local political, | | | | for improvements in the employment sector of |
| economical, and social values. | | | | the company.d) Decision-making procedures: a |
| | | | leader who supports interconnectedness anda |
| The first term that comes to mind when | | | | good work atmosphere, will attempt to |
| reviewing the above categories | | | | establish more team performancewithin his |
| is:compatibility. There has to be at least | | | | organization, although he or she may realize |
| some overlapping between these twotypes of | | | | that team decisionsare usually more time |
| values. A leader who is very religious, for | | | | consuming than individual decisions. However, |
| instance, shouldprobably not get involved in | | | | theleader who values fast decision-making and |
| an organization that is anti religion or | | | | who undervalues the possibleinput of workers, |
| proviolence. That is, of course, if his or | | | | may avoid team establishment wherever and |
| her religion is a peaceable one. | | | | wheneverpossible.e) Perceptions of |
| | | | organizational success: a leader who values a |
| A good question that rises when further | | | | happy, loyalworkforce will prefer a cut in |
| analyzing these two types of valuesis: which | | | | profits for the sake of employee |
| one should be prioritized? There may be mixed | | | | retainment,while one who sees the company as |
| feelings about that,as a person tends to be | | | | a profit producing system will nothesitate in |
| guided by his or her personal beliefs in the | | | | applying drastic reductions in the |
| firstplace, and only secondarily by the | | | | companyÆs workforce for thesake of annual |
| assessments of others. This emphasizeseven | | | | numbers. |
| more the importance of the previous | | | | |
| paragraph: there should becompatibility | | | | The above-presented list may have provided a |
| between the two categories of values to avoid | | | | concise overview of theimportance of value in |
| obstruction ininstitutional decision-making. | | | | leadership. |
| | | | |
| If compatibility is assured the answer to the | | | | As an addition to the initial statement about |
| priority query is easilygiven: the leader | | | | the importance ofcompatibility in personal |
| should primarily go by the organizational | | | | and organizational values, it may be good |
| values, knowingthat those are generally in | | | | toconclude this article by stating that a |
| line with his or her own. | | | | real strong leader will most likelybe capable |
| | | | to alter the companyÆs mission and vision |
| That values are vital in leadership may | | | | toward his or herpersonal values as he or she |
| become even clearer if we list a fewof the | | | | successfully establishes him or herself in |
| areas they affect:a) Perceptions of decision | | | | thefirm. |
| outcomes: depending on a leaderÆs values | | | | |
| he willperceive an outcome as successful, | | | | Dr. |