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Ep. 41: Words vs. Deeds – When Your Actions Contradict Your Values
People are watching. They see when leadership says collaboration is a priority but every goal is individual. They see when leadership says empowerment matters but every decision requires three levels of approval. They see when accountability is “non-negotiable” but certain people seem to be exempt.
In this episode, I examine what happens when an organization’s stated values become decoration: nice words on the wall that don’t shape behavior, influence decisions, or determine who gets promoted.
I introduce the Leadership Integrity Audit (five questions to identify the gap), a 2025 Retrospective (five questions to examine what you actually valued this year), and a 2026 Forward Inspection (four questions to close the gap going forward).
The people you most want to keep are the ones who believe in the mission. They’re the first to leave when they see the disconnect between words and deeds.
Podcast Notes
Key Concepts:
Core Values as Decoration: When values are framed on the wall but disconnected from how the organization operates.
The Watching Problem: People notice when actions contradict stated values. The best people leave first.
Adverse Selection: Organizations lose the people who believe in the mission and retain the cynics who learned to game the system.
The Leadership Integrity Audit (5 Questions):
* What do we say matters most?
* What do we actually measure and reward?
* Where’s the gap?
* What would change if we aligned our actions with our words?
* Are we willing to do the hard work?
2025 Retrospective (5 Questions):
* What did I say I valued this year?
* What did I actually spend my time on?
* What did I reward, celebrate, or promote?
* What did I ignore, tolerate, or excuse?
* What would someone observing me conclude about what I truly value?
2026 Forward Inspection (4 Questions):
* What do I want to be true about how I lead in 2026?
* What goals, behaviors, or metrics need to change?
* What am I willing to stop doing, stop tolerating, or stop rewarding?
* Who do I need to become to close the gap between my words and my deeds?
Bottom Line: Stating values is easy. Living them is hard. Close the gap. Not perfectly. Not instantly. But consistently and honestly.
Get full access to Daniel Gold at goldstandardleadership.substack.com/subscribe
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By Practical leadership insights rooted in Reinvention, Resilience, and Empowerment.People are watching. They see when leadership says collaboration is a priority but every goal is individual. They see when leadership says empowerment matters but every decision requires three levels of approval. They see when accountability is “non-negotiable” but certain people seem to be exempt.
In this episode, I examine what happens when an organization’s stated values become decoration: nice words on the wall that don’t shape behavior, influence decisions, or determine who gets promoted.
I introduce the Leadership Integrity Audit (five questions to identify the gap), a 2025 Retrospective (five questions to examine what you actually valued this year), and a 2026 Forward Inspection (four questions to close the gap going forward).
The people you most want to keep are the ones who believe in the mission. They’re the first to leave when they see the disconnect between words and deeds.
Podcast Notes
Key Concepts:
Core Values as Decoration: When values are framed on the wall but disconnected from how the organization operates.
The Watching Problem: People notice when actions contradict stated values. The best people leave first.
Adverse Selection: Organizations lose the people who believe in the mission and retain the cynics who learned to game the system.
The Leadership Integrity Audit (5 Questions):
* What do we say matters most?
* What do we actually measure and reward?
* Where’s the gap?
* What would change if we aligned our actions with our words?
* Are we willing to do the hard work?
2025 Retrospective (5 Questions):
* What did I say I valued this year?
* What did I actually spend my time on?
* What did I reward, celebrate, or promote?
* What did I ignore, tolerate, or excuse?
* What would someone observing me conclude about what I truly value?
2026 Forward Inspection (4 Questions):
* What do I want to be true about how I lead in 2026?
* What goals, behaviors, or metrics need to change?
* What am I willing to stop doing, stop tolerating, or stop rewarding?
* Who do I need to become to close the gap between my words and my deeds?
Bottom Line: Stating values is easy. Living them is hard. Close the gap. Not perfectly. Not instantly. But consistently and honestly.
Get full access to Daniel Gold at goldstandardleadership.substack.com/subscribe