“The best leaders remain true to their deepest values. They lead their own life, and others follow.” – James Kerr

Almost a year ago, I was listening to a panel of experienced school administrators answer questions posed by the audience, and this question was asked… “What is the one piece of advice you would give to a brand new administrator before they walk into their new role?”

I remember very specifically what one of the panel members said. “You better know exactly what you stand for and what your purpose is, or this job will eat you alive.” I was one of the “aspiring administrators” in the audience, and I took a lot of notes that night. Now that I am in that role, I can safely say that better advice may never have been given.

I’ll talk more about my thoughts on this shortly.

Fast forward to the present. I’ve written several times about our “Coaches Leadership Academy,” so I will spare you some of the background information (If you’re interested in what we do there, just check out some of my posts from January). Last night we had our monthly meeting, and one of the topics of conversation was Chapter 10 of James Kerr’s book, Legacy. The title of that chapter… “Authenticity.”

In this chapter, Kerr challenges the reader to be authentic, to know who they really are and what they really stand for. He also challenges us to be that person all of the time. As I read that chapter again, I thought back to what that principal had said almost a year ago, and I started reflecting on my own “core values.” That lead me to ask our “Leadership Academy” attendees to reflect on and share their core values with the group.

This is off topic, but I just have to brag on my people for a minute. They are incredibly reflective. I am blown away every month by the answers that some of them give. I am so thankful to be able to facilitate a meeting each month with such incredible people.

Since I asked each of them to share their core values with our group, I thought this would be a good place to share my thoughts on it. Here’s what I shared with them…

Love people. Serve people. Add value.

For the last 5 years or so, I have held tightly to these three things. They reflect who I want to be as a husband, father, educator, leader, and human being, and they impact (in theory) every decision I make.

As I deal with difficult parents… Love people, serve people, add value…

When I’m talking to that troubled student about the same issue AGAIN… Love people, serve people, add value…

When I’m having to have a tough conversation with a teacher or coach… Love people, serve people, add value…

If I find myself getting upset with my wife or my children for some reason… Love people, serve people, add value…

If I’m the new guy on staff and I don’t know my role… Love people, serve people, add value…

When I take a new job as a head coach, where do I start?… Love people, serve people, add value…

What action should I take right now?… Love people, serve people, add value…

When I look at people through this lens, regardless of how difficult, insulting or angry someone may be, it helps me keep perspective when I tell myself that even this person falls under the umbrella of people that I should love, serve, and add value to. When we cling to our core values, it makes the difficult times easier. Also, looking through the lens of our core values allows us to make sure we are headed in the right direction. Does this action or decision help me love and serve people? Does it help me add value to the lives of others?

I am not perfect at this by any means. Just ask my wife. However, I am striving to get better every day. When I die, I truly hope someone at my funeral says that “Lute was a guy who loved people, served people, and added value to the lives of others.”

How did I come up with these? Like any good leader, I stole them. 🙂

About 5 years ago, I was introduced to a guy named Joshua Medcalf. Even though he was extremely busy nurturing a new, growing business, he took some time to invest in me, and as I listened to him give a few presentations, he kept coming back to “love people, serve people, and add value.” That stuck with me, and I have been repeating it ever since. It just seems like the best way for us to live our best life. Thanks, Joshua!

All that being said, what are YOUR core values? If someone asked you that question in an interview today, what would you say? Have you been reflective enough to be able to give an authentic answer, or would you just throw something against the wall, hoping it would stick? If you’ve never nailed down your core values, I challenge you to do it ASAP. While it may take a little time and effort, I firmly believe that it is an exercise that will instantly make you better in every aspect of your life. I’d love to hear about your core values. Feel free to share them here in the comments, or reach out on social media to share your thoughts.

Thanks again for reading!