The Unintended Compass: When Leadership Values Emerge by Accident

We often perceive leadership values as thoughtfully crafted principles outlined in mission statements and reinforced through formal training.

What happens when these values are unintentionally shaped by circumstance, habit, or oversight? “Accidental leadership values” are those unspoken norms that guide behaviour, often without conscious awareness, and can significantly impact an organization’s culture.

These values are not necessarily negative; they can reflect positive adaptations to unique situations. Consider a Team facing a crisis: they might develop an “all-hands-on-deck” mentality, where collaboration and rapid problem-solving become ingrained. This incidental value, born out of necessity, can foster a strong sense of camaraderie and agility.

However, accidental values can also be detrimental. For example:  

• The “Silence is Compliance” Value:
  • A culture of silence can develop in environments where dissenting opinions are regularly overlooked. Employees believe voicing their concerns is futile, suppressing innovation and critical thinking.

Read more about using silence to your advantage

• The “Work Over Everything” Value:
  • When leaders publicly work long hours and remain perpetually available, they unintentionally foster a culture that undermines work-life balance. This can result in burnout and diminished employee well-being.  
• The “Every person for themselves” Value:
  • A distrust culture can emerge when Team members’ competition is high and collaboration is low. This may lead to withholding information and foster a toxic work environment.

These accidental values often arise from the following:

• Unconscious Behaviours: Leaders may unintentionally reinforce certain behaviours through actions and reactions.  
• Lack of Clear Communication: Employees rely on their interpretations to bridge the gap when values are unclear.

Read more about being the Chief Reminder Officer

• Organizational Inertia: “That’s how we’ve always done it” can sustain outdated or harmful norms.  

The Importance of Awareness:

The key to managing accidental leadership values is awareness. Leaders ought to:

• Reflect on Behaviour: Regularly evaluate actions and their impact on the Team.
• Encourage Feedback: Foster open communication and actively seek input from employees.
• Define Explicit Values: Clearly articulate and reinforce the organization’s desired values through consistent actions.
• Foster a Culture of Openness: Cultivate an environment where employees feel safe challenging norms and proposing improvements.  

By shedding light on these unconscious values, organizations can ensure that their culture aligns with their goals.

They can turn unintended values from potential liabilities into intentional assets, promoting a more positive and productive work environment.