Posit this! Every action you take, every thought you make should be measured against the 3V criteria. Validity, vitality, and veracity need to mark your reputation and the reputation of your organization or business. Consistent failure on any of these over your history will eventually mean failure of your endeavors. You may make money, fulfill the purpose of your non-profit, and have fun without them. You are not successful. You will fail or your successors will fail.
As a leader, ingrain these in your psyche. Your personal reputation and continuance depend on them. When others doubt you (and they will), your ability to face the mirror in the morning and be true to yourself is what will move you forward in life. When you revel in victory, the congruence of these in the actions and intents that took you to the mountain will sweeten the taste. When you struggle with results, the confluence of these bolsters confidence better days await.
To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. William Shakespeare
Validity
A valid thought or action is in the right time for the right reason. Every venture has a sequence and a rhythm. Today may not be the right moment to launch a new product line. It might be a good product, but the operation is not ready to support and the customers have not been informed.
An invalid is someone struggling with a disabled portion of the balance. An invalid action is the same. It struggles in some measure due to imbalance. Something is wrong with the preparation or timing or maybe the idea itself.
Be valid in your actions and thoughts. Match the time and reason.
Leaders struggle with this concept. Our vision for direction and purpose can overwhelm our ability to move with right time and reason. Continual steps out of time will cause others to doubt your leadership. Do all you can to ensure this is the right time and reason in relation to the people, progress, priorities, processes, projects, tools and technologies, and products and services. (Five Ps).
Progress and priority are factors to assess when testing for validity. Are other factors aligned to make this work? Has sufficient progress been made in all areas relative to support? Is this a priority that will happen? Is there commitment?
Be valid as a leader.
Vitality
A vital thought or action is full of energy and passion and purpose. It fulfills the destiny and design of the organization or operation. It takes energy. (Energizers)
Leaders need energy in constant measure. How painful is it to watch a leader with a great opportunity to implement a valid solution and yet they do not have the force of life to execute? It happens. We let our passion and purpose become diluted by invalid action and distress. Don’t. Stay on track. Keep your energy up.
Vitality is easier when you are working with purpose and design. It is tough to support an initiative that does not fit the purpose of an organization. You’ve been involved in those. They stifle creativity and stymie progress. Some board member wants to please a friend and asks you to run in circles to help them out while critical issues lack attention. It sucks away vitality.
Veracity
A veracious thought or action is marked by integrity, ethicality, and honesty. It is true to all involved. There is no hint of injustice, unfairness, or dishonesty. Now this is a tough one to hit in today’s business and community environments. It is worth all the effort you can give it.
Disconnect on this item is huge. Hypocrisy is evident when your corporate intent is simply words on a page for marketing and recruiting.
Be the same leader at home, at work, and in the community. Do what you do in the best interest of the other person. “You can have anything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” Zig Ziglar. ““Treat men exactly as you would like them to treat you.” Jesus of Nazareth
Be direct with communication. Be transparent. You don’t have the latitude to dispense everything you know to everyone you know. That is a matter of right discretion. You do have the requirement to be authentic and considerate.
Summary: Every leader will be judged by results. Results will be consistently productive when you tend to validity, vitality, and veracity.
Manage Well: Eclectic Tips on Excellence by Philip Larson
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