I read “Value Based Leadership Paradigm”, and what stood out to me most was how much leadership is about values over rules. The authors said that people bring their own beliefs/culture into the workplace. This is something that cannot be ignored because each individual in a team has their own thoughts, ideas, and values that all have to work together. So a team should agree on a small set of values that everyone can support. This reminded me of the leadership style of transformational leadership, this is where those in charge inspire people with a clear vision rather than only orders.

I also saw how this could be connected to the style of servant leadership. A value based leader is not only focused on outcomes, but on growth and well being of their team. This can mean frequent check-ins, being fair, and respecting each other. If a company says it values honesty and respect but their employees aren’t comfortable speaking up, then the leadership is not based on their values.

The article helped me see that ethical problems in leadership are a frequent occurrence that does not only happen in large scandals. Leaders have to balance what is good for the organization and what is good for the individual. Each member has their own values and still needs to work as a coordinated team. A value based leader needs to communicate, listen, and help with compromise in their teams. When people are treated equally, the team is more likely to be effective.

Shatalebi, B., & Yarmohammadian, M. H. Value-based leadership paradigm [PDF]