Are Your Leaders Walking the Talk?
Why values-led leadership is the key to unlocking performance, consistency and trust
Culture Change Never Starts at the Bottom
Earlier this year, I spoke to a family business that wanted help shifting their culture.
Staff morale was mixed. Communication was inconsistent. Customer experience varied wildly depending on the department.
They had good values. But something wasn’t clicking.
When I asked how the leadership team was living those values day-to-day, they said:
“Oh, we’re not looking at leadership right now. We’ve already decided the problem is further down.”
They wanted to “fix” the culture - without addressing the people who set the tone.
It didn’t work. It never does.
Even the Best Values Fall Flat Without Leadership Alignment
In our last article, we talked about the importance of clarity on values - what they are, what they mean, and how they show up.
But here’s the thing: you can have the most powerful, relevant, distinctive values in the world… and still fail to bring them to life if your leaders aren’t walking the talk.
This is especially true in family businesses.
That’s why in this time we’re shining a spotlight on the Leadership element of my Values to Profit Framework™.
The values are often deeply felt by the founder or family leadership - but not always interpreted the same way by the wider leadership team.
As businesses grow and new leaders join, that alignment can begins to weaken.
And when your leadership team isn’t fully aligned on what your values mean - and how they’re lived - everything below them starts to crack.
The Consequences of Misaligned Leadership
You might start noticing:
Inconsistent decision-making across departments
Mixed messages from different leaders
Frustrated employees unsure who or what to follow
Customers experiencing your business in conflicting ways
And in the worst cases - great people quietly disengaging or walking away
When leaders aren’t modelling the values, your culture becomes patchy, confusing and fragile.
And that undermines your ability to use culture and values as a genuine differentiator.
One misaligned leader can derail years of progress.
Growth Brings Risk — If Leaders Aren’t Onboard
I’ve spoken to several family businesses recently who are in growth mode. They’ve added new leaders to support expansion - but haven’t taken the time to align those leaders with the business’s values or expectations.
The result?
The start of internal friction
Silent rifts within the leadership team
Employees confused by competing leadership styles
Customers noticing the inconsistency
In each case, growth is being held back - not because the values are wrong, but because not everyone is living them the same way.
Leaders Set the Tone - Like It or Not
Whether consciously or not, your leadership team is shaping your culture every day.
Their decisions, their tone, their pace, their expectations - all of it either reinforces or weakens your values.
That’s why values-led leadership isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a commercial imperative.
Misalignment leads to:
🚫 Lost productivity
🚫 Weakened customer trust
🚫 Poor retention
🚫 Strategic drift
Alignment leads to:
✅ Faster, clearer decision-making
✅ Stronger culture and performance
✅ Higher retention and engagement
✅ Consistent, scalable growth
Leadership Coaching and Workshops That Align Culture and Results
This is where I work with clients every day - aligning their leadership to their values and business strategy.
I offer:
1:1 executive coaching for CEOs and MDs
Individual or group coaching programmes for leadership teams
And highly focused, in-person or virtual Leadership to Values workshops, where we explore alignment, uncover different interpretations, and get everyone pointing in the same direction
These sessions are not tick-box exercises. They create space for honest discussion, real-time insight, and unified leadership - so you can lead with clarity, consistency, and confidence.
Everything I offer is bespoke - no off-the-shelf templates. Because every family business is different, and your leadership development should reflect your specific challenges and ambitions.
Together, we tackle:
How to model your values in complex or high-stakes decisions
How to build trust and cohesion across a growing or multi-generational team
How to spot and resolve leadership misalignment before it damages culture
And how to ensure values-led leadership becomes a commercial advantage, not a communication challenge
When leaders are aligned, everything else gets easier.
Ask Yourself…
Are your leaders consistently modelling your values - or just saying the right things in meetings?
Is your leadership team united in how your values show up in behaviour, decisions, and communication?
Do new leaders joining the team get the support they need to truly live the culture - or are they left to interpret it on their own?
If these questions raise any doubts - it’s worth exploring.
Quick Action: Leadership Alignment Check
At your next leadership meeting, ask each person this question:
“What do our values mean in practice - and how do they shape the way we lead?”
If the answers vary too widely… or the room goes quiet… you’ve just uncovered a performance risk.
Let’s Talk
If you want to build a leadership team that actually lives your values - and leads in ways that strengthen culture, trust and performance - I’d love to talk.
📅 Book your free 45-minute Values To Profit Exploration Call
Let’s explore how leadership alignment could drive growth and clarity across your business.
Coming Next Time:
Your values are clear. Your leaders are aligned. Now - how do you build a culture that lives those values every single day?