To operate based on conviction and belief requires an acceptance that your actions could get you fired. This is different from pig-headed bravado, and it is different from putting the company at risk.
Simon SinekRead
For values or guiding principles to be truly effective they have to be verbs. It's not "integrity," it's "always do the right thing." It's not "innovation," it's "look at the problem from a different angle." Articulating our values as verbs gives us a clear idea - we have a clear idea of how to act in any situation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Values should be actionable and expressed as verbs to guide behavior effectively.
In this quote, Simon Sinek emphasizes that simply stating values like 'integrity' or 'innovation' is insufficient for them to have a meaningful impact. Instead, he suggests that these values should be articulated as actions or guiding principles that dictate how individuals should behave in specific situations, thereby providing clarity and direction for decision-making.
Themes
ValuesActionPrinciplesGuidanceBehavior
In practice
Example use cases
In a leadership seminar to emphasize the importance of values in action.
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