Most leaders underestimate how much their values shape decisions, trust, and performance, especially under pressure.

In this episode, Charles Good has a conversation with Dr. Paul Ingram, Columbia Business School professor and author of What Do You Really Stand For?, who explains why values are not soft ideals but practical tools for better leadership.

He shows how aligning your choices with your core values can strengthen decision-making, improve relationships, build resilient teams, and shape a healthier organizational culture.

You’ll learn why generic value lists often fall flat, how to uncover your real values through simple reflection, and how to turn those values into daily habits, difficult trade-offs, feedback conversations, and moments of pressure.

For leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to lead with greater clarity, purpose, integrity, and conviction, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for making your values one of your most powerful leadership assets.

Connect with Paul Ingram (https://business.columbia.edu/faculty/people/paul-ingram)

Get Paul Ingram's new book, 'What Do You Really Stand For?' (https://a.co/d/06gE6ZeM)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Values and Leadership

04:14 The Importance of Values in Decision-Making

07:04 Practical Tools for Identifying Personal Values

09:44 Reflection Exercises for Value Identification

12:31 Laddering Technique for Deeper Value Understanding

19:21 Embodied Cognition and Values

23:22 Structuring Values for Decision-Making

25:01 Ranking Values for Better Choices

27:25 Value-Based Decision Making: A Case Study

30:53 Activating Values in Daily Leadership

34:38 Building a Values Affirmation Habit

41:09 Understanding Values in Relationships and Conflict

47:41 Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation in Leadership

54:54 Long-Term Value Alignment vs. Short-Term Gains

1:00:21 Key Insights and Takeaways

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