I have this tacked near my desk:
“Your reasons for not liking or respecting someone are valid. But they are not an excuse to treat others in ways that violate our values.”
The source of that quote is no longer known; the wisdom, however, is timeless: A group succeeds in doing significant work when the moral code among team members is unbroken.
The first challenge for those who wish to lead: Can you model actions that demonstrate your ethics when others are not doing the same?
When enough individuals within a group can do this, collectively they create the opportunity to do work that is far bigger than any one person can achieve.
We then get to be a part of something much bigger than self.
Transformational business outcomes first require that you transcend natural human tendencies, by being your best self even in those moments when others may not be.
Where do you start with your team?
Step one: As a group, determine what values are non-negotiable.
Step two: As a team member, go first. Go last. And demonstrate shared values everywhere in between.
