Values-Based Leadership: Building Connections That Matter

Values, needs, and purpose. The three core elements that are unique to us all as individuals and often the golden thread that runs through everything we do as leaders.

When you're responsible for leading others, understanding these elements becomes critical not just for your own wellbeing, but for building the authentic relationships that drive team performance and business results.

As leaders, we have physical, psychological, and emotional needs that influence how we show up for our teams. We also have professional needs that we feel are essential for leading effectively and creating the impact we want to make.

Through my coaching work, I've seen how leaders who understand their own needs and values can better understand and connect with others. This creates the foundation for building stronger teams, navigating complex stakeholder relationships, and leading with authenticity.

The more we understand ourselves as leaders, the more we can understand those we lead.

The more we know about what drives human behaviour, the more we can create environments where people thrive.

Why Continuous Growth Matters for Leadership Effectiveness

Continuous growth and development are essential needs for most leaders.

You must see and feel progress in both your leadership capabilities and your professional impact, though leaders have this need at varying levels.

When growth and development are important to you as a leader, you often want to see growth in your team members, in addition to your own vision of who you're becoming as a leader. This creates both opportunity and challenge - the opportunity to inspire and develop others, and the challenge of respecting different growth preferences and timelines.

As leaders, we must align our actions with our personal values and principles to maintain integrity and build trust with our teams. We also need to respect that team members may not share the same values, and they will be making decisions that align with what they feel is most important.

Understanding that there is not a 'right or wrong' set of values and needs is crucial for effective leadership. The more we can understand the differences between ourselves and our team members, the more we can learn to respect those differences and support each person on their unique professional journey.

This understanding helps us avoid compromising our own values while supporting others authentically, which often results in stronger team cohesion and more meaningful working relationships.

Finding Purpose in Leadership

A key part of our psychological and emotional needs as leaders is recognising our role in the bigger picture of our organisation and industry, and contributing meaningfully to our teams and stakeholders.

Leaders need to believe that their work holds significance and purpose, and that they're making a meaningful contribution to something greater than themselves. This sense of purpose directly impacts leadership effectiveness and team inspiration.

This is often reflected in personal mission statements, leadership philosophies, and the legacy you want to create through your work. It influences how you make decisions, communicate with others, and how you prioritise your time and energy.

Purpose-driven leadership is crucial for mental health and overall wellbeing. Feeling that your leadership makes a meaningful difference to others is essential. When leaders lose sight of their purpose or question their impact, it affects not only their own performance but also their team's confidence and engagement.

Discovering significance and purpose in leadership is determined by your values and professional needs, and is often influenced by the people in your organisation and industry. Engaging in mentoring, participating in professional communities, and contributing to causes you care about can help you establish connections with other leaders who share similar values.

Essential Psychological Needs for Leaders

Understanding human psychological needs helps leaders create environments where people can thrive.

The following framework outlines six psychological and emotional needs we all have as humans, though at varying levels, to live fulfilled professional lives.

Certainty and Comfort: Teams need predictable processes and clear expectations. As a leader, providing structure and consistency helps create psychological safety, though too much routine can stifle innovation.

Variety: While teams appreciate structure, they also need challenge and variety in their work. Effective leaders balance consistency with opportunities for growth, learning, and new experiences.

Significance: Team members need to feel their work matters and their contributions are valued. Leaders who recognise individual strengths and celebrate achievements help people feel significant at personal, team, and organisational levels.

Connection and Love: Professional belonging and connection are fundamental human needs. Leaders who foster genuine relationships, create inclusive environments, and show care for their people build stronger, more resilient teams.

Growth: The desire for professional development and continuous improvement is strong in many team members. Leaders who support learning, provide stretch opportunities, and invest in development create engaged, loyal teams.

Contribution: People need to feel they're adding value and making a meaningful impact. Leaders who help team members see how their work contributes to larger goals and outcomes satisfy this fundamental need.

The Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

Self-determination theory focuses on what motivates people and shapes professional growth. This framework covers three needs that are particularly relevant for leadership effectiveness:

Autonomy: Team members need appropriate control over how they approach their work. Leaders who provide clear objectives while allowing flexibility in execution often see better results and higher engagement.

Competence: People need to feel effective and capable in their roles. Leaders who provide proper training, resources, and support help team members build confidence and deliver better results.

Relatedness: The need for meaningful professional relationships and sense of belonging is crucial. Leaders who invest in team relationships and create inclusive environments satisfy this fundamental need.

Understanding these needs helps leaders create conditions where team members can perform at their best while maintaining their own sense of purpose and direction.

Assessing Professional Relationships Using The 4 Ps Framework

It's important to reflect on the professional relationships that shape your leadership effectiveness and career satisfaction. My 4 Ps: Pause, Prioritise, Proceed with Purpose framework can help you assess these critical connections.

Pause: Take time to reflect on your key professional relationships. What emotions do you feel when working with different team members, colleagues, or stakeholders? These emotions provide valuable information about the health and impact of these connections.

Prioritise: Who are your professional energisers and who are your energy drains? Identify the relationships that fuel your leadership effectiveness versus those that deplete your energy and focus.

Proceed with Purpose: Professional relationships, like financial accounts, require balance between giving and receiving. Both parties need to contribute value and receive support for relationships to remain healthy and sustainable over time.

Apply Daily: Use 'The Alignment Audit' to regularly check whether your professional relationships align with your values and leadership objectives.

Neither party should consistently give more than they receive.

This often means ensuring you're asking for help, support, and guidance as much as you're willing and able to contribute to others' success.

Strategic Leadership Connections and Relationship Management

How are you meeting your professional needs through the relationships and connections you maintain?

A balanced approach to meeting needs independently and through others is important for sustainable leadership.

Check that you're not relying too heavily on a single person or relationship for multiple needs, either through what you contribute or what you receive. This applies to mentoring relationships, peer connections, team dynamics, and stakeholder management.

Consider these questions:

• Which relationships energise your leadership and which drain your effectiveness?

• How do you balance supporting your team's growth with your own development needs?

• Are you building relationships across different levels and departments?

• Do your professional connections align with your values and leadership goals?

Using The Aligned Action Filter™: 

Apply the Do, Delay, Delete framework to your professional relationships and networking activities. Focus your energy on connections that align with your values, create mutual value, and support your leadership objectives.

Achieving Balance and Authentic Leadership

It's important to find ways to meet your professional needs that align with your leadership values.

Clear communication about your needs, boundaries, and expectations helps create mutual understanding with your team and stakeholders.

Explore areas where your professional needs aren't being met, or where your values feel misaligned with organisational demands. Consider different strategies to support your leadership development and strengthen key relationships.

This might involve:

• Having honest conversations about workload and expectations

• Seeking mentoring or coaching support for leadership challenges

• Building peer networks with other leaders who share your values

• Creating team environments that honour different working styles and needs

• Establishing boundaries that protect your ability to lead effectively

When your leadership approach aligns with your core values and meets your fundamental needs, you create the authentic presence that inspires trust, drives results, and builds the meaningful connections that make leadership fulfilling.

You can download your free 'Values Alignment Assessment here:

Values Alignment Assessment.pdf

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Leading with Authentic Connection

Understanding and fulfilling your needs as a leader is crucial for achieving sustainable success and creating a positive impact.

When you reflect on your professional relationships and leadership growth, you can better align your actions with your values and contribute meaningfully to your team and organisation.

Values-based leadership isn't about perfection - it's conscious choice-making that honours what matters most to you while creating environments where others can thrive. When you lead from this place of alignment, you build the authentic connections that drive long-term results.

The leaders I work with who master this approach don't just build better relationships - they create aligned success that feels as good as it looks. They lead with clarity about their values, act with intention in their relationships, and build the trust that enables sustainable high performance.

That's when the magic happens. When your leadership approach aligns with your core values and meets your fundamental needs, you create the authentic presence that inspires others and generates lasting impact.

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If you're ready to take this further, I can help.

I support leaders and business owners to balance their ambition with the habits and behaviours that create aligned success - success that feels as good as it looks.

I do this through:

• 1:1 Coaching for tailored support

• The Blueprint for Aligned Success, my 8-week group programme

• The Aligned Success Community for ongoing tools, coaching, and connection

You can also explore free resources to get started:

• Values Alignment Assessment: Free download available

• Learn how to implement my 'PIIPS Framework for Aligned Success' - Free Training: www.zoethompson.uk/quick-links

• YouTube Channel: Aligned Success with Zoë Thompson

Zoe