Someone asked me recently:

What are your values as a leader?

I have answered this question so many times in the countless learnings of self development that we all accumulate over the years. And yet, when I was asked point blank what I thought, I paused. I thought. I explained that servant leadership is what I’m all about, which is so true, but not the whole story. In all my evolution this year, I forgot to evolve my thinking on what it means to be a good leader, and what values are worth upholding through thick and thin.

And so, I present to you my redo response.

Leadership is about helping a team cope with change. Great leaders proactively remove roadblocks, notice and harness potential, and create space for conversations.

My various leader reports about myself from b-school and beyond will tell you that I value altruism, science, and security deeply as a leader. Translation: I care deeply about my staff and their well-being, I value rational and evidence-based problem solving, and I have an affinity for long-term planning.

What that means in the context of choices I make is that I go to bat when I see unrealized potential in someone who could be more fulfilled in a different role. It means that I am most comfortable when I can make a decision with some evidence or experience, though my years as an entrepreneur means I notice and act when I need to make a leap of faith and the evidence either isn’t coming or doesn’t exist yet. It means I love to work with an engaged and caring team and I love to mentor and coach. It means I do best when I have a framework, a theory, a research topic to delve into.

A lot of the entrepreneur experience that is written talks about what happens when organizations or leaders win or fail spectacularly. There’s even a whole movement towards appreciating those spectacular wins and fails as badges of honor, equally. But more resonant to my reflections are those, shall we say, micro-wins and micro-fails that strengthen our resolve and revise our tactics as leaders in the context of the day and team. I’ve had my fair share of both, and those are the real stuff of leadership experience.