Your Leadership Tonality — The Values Behind the Vision

Every ensemble has a unique sound. Even when two groups perform the exact same music, they never sound exactly alike. 

Tone is shaped by more than notes on a page. It is influenced by the values, priorities, habits, and standards embraced by the people performing together. How musicians approach their individual sound affects the tone of the group. A musician’s ability to control that sound—no matter how fast or slow, how high or low, or how loud or soft the music requires—is essential. Great musicians value the disciplines and habits that allow them to consistently contribute a characteristic tone to the ensemble. 

Leadership works the same way. Every leader creates a kind of “values tonality” that shapes the culture around them. The things we praise, protect, prioritize, ignore, celebrate, or tolerate all contribute to the sound of our organizations. Our values are constantly shaping the culture and behaviors of those around us. 

The challenge is that many leaders have never taken the time to clearly define what they truly value. As a result, their leadership can become reactive instead of intentional. 

Mixed values create mixed signals. 

Mixed signals create inconsistent culture. 

If we want to lead with clarity, consistency, and purpose, we must first understand the values shaping our behaviors and decisions. That process begins with creating a personal values inventory.

When you think about your own personal values as a leader, what resonates the most with your purpose?  It could be:

• Personal integrity

• Growth and development

• Relationships and community

• Creativity and curiosity

• Balance and well-being

• Leadership and influence

• Character

• Meaning and purpose

• Wisdom and knowledge

• Legacy and impact

To be sure, all of these are important. But what adjectives would you use to describe the things you value the most?  

If you say you value everything, you effectively value nothing. 

Start with a list of adjectives that describe specific things you might value the most in each of these areas. Then try to narrow that list down to your top three. What would be the priority order for them?

For me, I know that dependability/faithfulness, impact/legacy, and purposeful work/contribution are main drivers for the work I do. This gives me great focus when I consider how these aspirational values do or do not show up in the context of my current roles. It allows me to consider daily practices that I might engage in to keep these at the forefront of my work as a leader.

It is powerful. 

And it is the beginning of moving from intention to action.

This is all part of a larger leadership conversation explored in my book IN TONE Leadership. You can learn more HERE.

If you’d like to continue exploring these ideas in a more collaborative setting, I want to encourage you to check out The Conductor’s Circle mastermind experience, where we work in small groups to clarify the all-important concept of Leadership Tonality. You can learn more at THIS LINK.

Clarity of values leads to clarity of contribution. 

For you can’t have a positive impact on the ensemble if you don’t first know what tone you are trying to produce. 

Next week we will talk about how to evaluate the reality of your current contributions.

Until the next rehearsal!

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