What Matters Most? Clarifying Your Leadership Values (So You Can Lead Without Burnout)
In my last post, we explored the “off” feeling, that subtle sense that something isn’t working anymore, even when things look fine on the outside. For over-responsible women leaders in retail and sales, that “off” feeling often shows up as fatigue, irritability, overthinking, or a quiet sense of disconnection from the work you once cared about.
Once you notice what isn’t working, the next step is to reconnect with what does matter: your leadership values.
Your values are the core principles that guide your decisions, shape your leadership style, and influence what feels meaningful to you. When your leadership is aligned with your values, you feel steadier, clearer, and more confident. When it’s misaligned, burnout grows fast, even if performance looks fine.
Values Are Your Inner Leadership Compass
Think about a time you felt proud of how you led, not just what you achieved.
What kind of leader were you in that moment?
How did you communicate?
What standards did you hold?
How did you treat people, including yourself?
Often, those moments reveal your strongest values.
Values can include things like:
integrity
growth
respect
fairness
excellence
courage
calm
leadership by example
connection
contribution
There’s no perfect list. Your values are personal, and they can evolve as you grow.
Why Values Matter for Women Leaders in Retail & Sales
Retail and sales leadership can pull you into urgency: targets, staffing, escalations, time pressure, shifting priorities. Over time, you can start leading from “what needs to be done” instead of “what matters most.”
That’s when leadership feels heavy.
Clarifying your values helps you:
set boundaries without guilt
lead with emotional intelligence without lowering standards
make decisions faster (less overthinking)
coach your team with consistency
build a culture you’re proud of
protect your energy so success is sustainable
Questions to Clarify Your Leadership Values
Use these prompts to uncover what matters most right now:
1) What energizes you as a leader?
When do you feel most alive at work? Coaching a rep? Developing a team member? Creating structure? Celebrating wins? Solving problems?
2) What are you most proud of in your leadership?
Think of your best leadership moments, big or small. What values were you living in those moments?
3) What do you stand for, no matter what?
What are your non-negotiables in how you lead? What behaviours do you refuse to normalize?
4) Who do you admire as a leader, and why?
What qualities do you admire? (Calm? Directness? Courage? Fairness? Consistency?) Those qualities often point to your values.
5) When have you felt most misaligned at work?
What situations made you feel “off”? What value felt violated or ignored?
6) If you could redesign your leadership week, what would change?
This shows what you value most: time, impact, balance, excellence, connection, growth, peace.
A Quick Exercise: Identify Your Top 5 Leadership Values
Start by brainstorming freely. Here are examples (choose what fits you):
Authenticity
Calm
Courage
Consistency
Connection
Contribution
Excellence
Fairness
Freedom
Growth
Impact
Integrity
Kindness
Learning
Respect
Stability
Trust
Wellbeing
Now narrow it down:
circle the top 10 that resonate
then choose your top 5
write a one-sentence definition for each (what it looks like in your leadership)
Example:
Respect = “I address issues directly and privately, and I don’t tolerate disrespect on the team.”
Calm = “I slow down before reacting and lead from priorities, not panic.”
This Isn’t One-and-Done
Your values can shift as your season changes, especially as you grow into stronger boundaries and a new leadership identity. That’s not a problem, it’s growth.
The goal is simply this:
Use your values as a guide for decisions, boundaries, and the way you lead your team.
Book a Discovery Call
If you want clarity on your leadership values, boundaries, and what needs to shift so you can lead with calm confidence and still hit targets, I’d love to support you.
Book a discovery call and we’ll map out your next best steps.
