Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

September 4, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm by leveraging The Triple Win Method.

Why generic values don't work (and what to do instead)

Howdy

"Integrity. Teamwork. Excellence."

Sound familiar?

These are the three most common values leaders tell me they have. The problem? They're too generic to actually guide behavior.

Here's what I mean:

Two leaders both say "integrity" is their core value. Leader A believes integrity means always being brutally honest, even if it hurts people's feelings. Leader B believes integrity means being honest in a way that preserves people's dignity and relationships.

Same value. Completely different behaviors.

This is why generic values are useless for leadership.

Your values need to be specific enough to guide your actual decisions and behaviors. They need to reflect who YOU are, not who you think you should be.

Instead of "integrity," you might have: "I tell the truth in a way that builds people up rather than tears them down."

Instead of "teamwork," you might have: "I create space for every voice to be heard before making important decisions."

Instead of "excellence," you might have: "I push for outstanding results while protecting my team's long-term well-being."

See the difference? These aren't just words on a wall. They're decision-making tools.

P.S. Ready to develop YOUR specific values? Our workshop starts soon. I’ll share details of this next week.

Keep winning at work and in life

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

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