Why Values Alone Aren't Enough

Values exercises feel like they’re everywhere right now. And while it’s worthwhile to be able to clearly articulate values, you are not exactly going to walk into a performance review with your boss and say, “So, my top two values are ‘integrity’ and ‘curiosity.’” (Well, you could, but it’s unlikely a raise would come of it.)

So how do those values help you get promoted, earn a raise, advocate for yourself or land a new job? The answer is that it’s not enough to just know your values. You need a leadership vision statement, a short written statement that clarifies how your values translate into action and stays future-focused.

A good statement matches what people already know about you, but codifies that reputation and makes it high-level. It is essentially really good personal brand marketing. Reputation at work matters, and a leadership vision statement gives you a deliberate way to shape that perception.

What Is a Leadership Vision Statement?

A leadership vision statement is a short written statement that clarifies how your values translate into action. It should be future-focused. While it’s worthwhile to be able to clearly articulate values, it’s not enough to just know them — you need a statement that shows how they play out in how you lead.

A good statement matches what people already know about you, but it codifies that reputation and makes it high-level. It is essentially really good personal brand marketing. It shows that you’re self-aware about your values and how you come across to others, and that self-awareness is reflected consistently in how you lead and work.

Over time, it becomes something everyone knows about you and can clearly articulate. That’s how you turn your values into a recognizable leadership brand. Reputation at work matters, and a leadership vision statement gives you a deliberate way to shape that perception by clarifying what kind of leader you are and want to be known as.

The Four Components of a Strong Leadership Vision Statement

A strong leadership vision statement has four parts. First, a belief about people, written in the first person and made specific, such as “I believe that everyone wants to produce a world-class product.” Second, what’s at stake in your world, which names what goes wrong when the belief is missing. For example, when people don’t feel comfortable speaking up, they make assumptions, and those assumptions can be dangerous for business. Third, how you lead because of it: one or two concrete behaviors your team would recognize you in, such as always leading with transparency and disclosing what you can. Fourth, the future you’re building, describing what will be different for your team because of how you lead—when people have all the information they need to do their jobs, they trust each other, feel happier at work, and produce excellent results. Together, these components turn a values statement into a vision.

Examples and Questions to Build Yours

Consider how a leadership vision statement sounds across industries. An executive chef builds around high standards as respect: “I believe most people are capable of far more than anyone has asked of them.” A career coach anchors in joy at work, aiming for “a world in which nobody has the Sunday Scaries.” A nurse manager in a pediatric ICU starts from the belief that everyone makes mistakes and the people closest to the work see danger first.

Questions to Get You Thinking

• What are your top three values?
• What do you believe about people as a result of those values and your experiences?
• What happens to people on your team during a stress event?
• When was a recent moment that you stood up for someone on your team?
• What do you hope senior leaders in your industry will be able to do in a few years that they can’t do today?

Draft yours this week, say it out loud in your next 1:1, and keep refining it until it sounds like you on your best day.