How price-of-entry values and uniquely you values shape courageous, trusted leadership
Courageous leadership isn’t defined by bold gestures or charismatic speeches. It’s revealed in moments of pressure – when decisions are difficult, tradeoffs are real, and values are tested. The Spine of a Leader represents what keeps us upright in those moments. That strength comes from clarity around values – specifically, understanding the difference between price-of-entry values and uniquely you values, and how both guide leadership behavior.
Price-of-entry values are the baseline. At Personify Leadership, those values are Honesty, Integrity, Respect, and Trust. These are not aspirational ideals; they are expectations. They define how leaders must show up to earn credibility and belong in leadership. Living these values doesn’t make a leader exceptional – it makes them reliable. They are the cost of admission.
Honesty requires telling the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Integrity demands alignment between words and actions. Respect shows up in how leaders listen, communicate, and disagree. Trust is built through consistency over time. When these values are missing, leadership credibility erodes quickly – no matter how talented or results-driven someone may be.
Where leadership becomes deeply personal is in identifying Uniquely You Values. These are the values that set a leader apart as an individual. They are shaped by life experiences, beliefs, and choices. No two people share the exact same set of uniquely you values. They answer the question: What truly drives me when no one is telling me what to do?
By helping leaders understand what drives them, uniquely you values empower leaders to make choices and take actions that align with their core principles. This alignment is critical. When leaders act in ways that match what they believe, they experience greater clarity, confidence, and consistency. Over time, this alignment becomes visible to others – and that visibility builds trust, resilience, and courage.
Day 2 of the Deep Dive emphasizes that values only matter when they are tested. It’s easy to claim honesty when telling the truth is safe. It’s harder when it risks conflict. It’s easy to say you value respect – until emotions run high. This is where the Spine of a Leader matters most. Courage shows up when leaders choose alignment over approval.
Research on values-based leadership consistently shows that leaders who are clear about both organizational expectations and personal values are more trusted, more resilient under pressure, and more effective in decision-making. When values are unclear, leaders react. When values are clear, leaders respond with intention – even when the path forward is uncomfortable.
The Spine of a Leader reminds us that leadership courage is not loud – it’s steady. It’s the willingness to stand on honesty, integrity, respect, and trust, while leading in a way that is authentically your own. If you’re ready to clarify what values are required of you – and what values uniquely guide you – the Deep Dive program offers structured reflection and tools to help leaders lead with alignment, courage, and purpose.
~Michelle Cummings, Personify Leadership
Leadership is not just about vision – it’s about follow-through. The Feet of a Leader represent how we move, act, and take responsibility for results. Accountability lives here. When leaders understand accountability as more than personal responsibility – as something that operates at the self, team, and organizational levels – they lead with clarity, alignment, and purpose rather than reaction or blame.
The first level of accountability is Self. This is where leadership begins. Accountability to self means owning your choices, behaviors, and impact – especially when outcomes aren’t ideal. Leaders at this level ask, “What is within my control?” and “How am I contributing to this situation?” Research consistently shows that leaders who practice self-accountability build credibility and trust because their actions align with their words. They model responsibility rather than deflection.
(more…)How the Feedback Loop model helps leaders move from reaction to reflection
For most leaders, receiving feedback can feel uncomfortable. Our instinct is to defend, explain, or justify. Yet feedback, when approached with openness, can be one of the most powerful tools for self-awareness and growth. The Ears of a Leader practice challenges us to listen beyond the words, applying the Receiving Feedback Loop to turn feedback into meaningful action rather than emotional reaction.
The first step in the Feedback Loop is being in the right frame of mind to receive feedback. When we’re defensive, distracted, or emotionally reactive, we simply can’t process input constructively. Great leaders pause before feedback conversations to center themselves, taking a breath, quieting inner dialogue, and setting an intention to listen with curiosity rather than judgment.
(more…)Why understanding others’ emotions makes feedback more effective, lasting, and human.
Feedback is one of the most powerful leadership tools, and one of the most misunderstood. Too often, leaders focus on delivering feedback efficiently rather than effectively. But great feedback isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how you connect. Empathy is the bridge that turns feedback from a critique into a conversation, from correction into growth.
Empathy allows leaders to see feedback through the receiver’s eyes. It’s the ability to understand how your words will land before you speak them. Research from the Center for Creative Leadership shows that leaders who demonstrate empathy are consistently rated as higher performers by their teams and superiors. When feedback is delivered with understanding and respect, people don’t shut down, they lean in.
(more…)How leaders shape trust and innovation by recognizing when openness is reprimanded, and when it’s celebrated.
Vulnerability in leadership is often misunderstood. Many leaders believe that showing uncertainty or asking for help undermines their credibility. Yet, research on psychological safety tells a different story: vulnerability, when modeled and rewarded, is one of the strongest catalysts for trust, learning, and innovation. The difference between thriving teams and fearful ones often comes down to how vulnerability is treated, whether it’s reprimanded or rewarded.
Reprimanded vulnerability occurs when openness or honesty is met with criticism, shame, or exclusion. Think about a time when someone admitted a mistake and was blamed rather than supported, or when a team member shared an idea and was told to “stay in their lane.” These responses, though sometimes unintentional, teach people to stay silent. Over time, psychological safety erodes, creativity declines, and trust is replaced by self-protection.
(more…)How recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives strengthens trust, collaboration, and performance
At its core, leadership is about connection, and connection begins with understanding. In today’s diverse and global workplace, leaders who can recognize and appreciate different perspectives, cultures, and experiences are better equipped to build trust, foster collaboration, and make stronger, more inclusive decisions. This isn’t just a matter of awareness; it’s a matter of skill, empathy, and intention.
Research from Harvard Business Review and Deloitte consistently shows that teams led by inclusive leaders outperform their peers in innovation, problem-solving, and engagement. The reason is simple: when people feel seen and valued for their unique experiences, they bring their full selves to work. They contribute more ideas, take greater ownership, and engage more deeply with their teams. Inclusion fuels performance because it makes people feel they belong.
(more…)Delegating a task is not just about assigning work, it is also about setting clear boundaries around decision-making and authority. Without this clarity, misunderstandings can arise, leading to frustration, delays, or outcomes that miss the mark. Our definition of Delegation is: Sharing Authority and Responsibility with another person. When this is communicated well, it’s a recipe for success. When this is left up to interpretation, it’s a recipe for disaster.
When leaders fail to define the level of authority, team members may either overstep and make choices they were not meant to make, or hesitate and delay progress because they are unsure what decisions are theirs to own. In both cases, the work suffers and trust can be strained.
(more…)Effective leadership is not about always being involved or always giving space. It is about knowing when each approach is needed. Some situations call for a hands-on style, where you give detailed guidance, offer close support, and monitor progress closely. Others benefit from a hands-off style, allowing the person to take ownership and work independently.
The right approach depends on both the nature of the task and the needs of the person doing it. A high-stakes, time-sensitive project with unclear steps might require you to be more involved. On the other hand, a skilled team member working on familiar ground might do their best work with minimal oversight.
(more…)Good listening is not just about understanding the words being said. It is also about allowing space for the other person to refine, clarify, or add more detail. Even if you believe you have captured their message perfectly, offering the opportunity for them to expand builds trust and deepens understanding.
Many conversations stop too soon because the listener assumes they have all the necessary information. While this may sometimes be true, it can also cut off valuable insights that come after a pause or follow-up question. When you make room for the other person to elaborate, you often uncover details that change the way you think about the situation.
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