Purpose-Driven Leadership in Practice | Tory Burch Foundation

When you’re in startup mode, getting the business up and running is top of mind: creating product, acquiring customers, building the brand. Company values? They often feel like a nice-to-have, not urgent. Except values guide every decision a founder makes from day one; they’re a prerequisite for strong, purpose-driven leadership. “There’s no way to have a successful business without leaning into your values,” said Dr. Maya Faison of the Faison Advisory Group. 

It’s a lesson she learned the hard way. The executive coach and leadership strategist realized she hit a career low when she was compromising her values “for the sake of business, for the sake of partnerships, for the sake of making revenue,” she recalled. “Once I was able to identify what I stood for, I was finally able to breathe and move into what I call my joy era.” 

As part of our webinar series, Faison gave us her framework for doing the same. Even more importantly, she broke down how to address instances where your company values conflict with your personal ones or a potential opportunity—complete with practical, actionable exercises and tools anyone can use. 

IDENTIFY YOUR VALUES.

To help uncover your foundational values, ask yourself the below questions. “Don’t overthink it,” Faison said. “See what comes to mind immediately.” 

• What angers you? It signals a value that’s been violated.  

• What do people go to you for? Your values frequently align with your gifts and talents.

• What would you do unpaid? It points to passion and purpose—you want your values to be in step with these. 

• What hill would you die on? In other words, what are your non-negotiables? 

Now, distill them. Fill out the formula below for three different values. “Be thoughtful,” Faison advised. “These aren’t beliefs you inherited from your parents or learned in business school.” 

Because I value __________, I will __________, even when __________. 

Examples: 

Because I value integrity, I will be transparent about my pricing, even when a client pushes back. 

Because I value excellence, I will say no to projects outside my expertise, even when I need the revenue. 

Because I value family, I will protect my weekends, even when a big opportunity arises.

UNDERSTAND THE OBSTACLES.

 Even when you’re clear on your values, living them isn’t always easy. For one reason or another, we drift or choose to neglect them. “We’re human. We all have these moments,” Faison said. “It’s not a failure on your part.”

What matters is knowing when it’s happening and why, so you can course-correct. Faison developed the below roadmap, using the acronym MUTED, to recognize what’s been interrupting your alignment:

M: Messages

What have you been told about what success requires? How many times have you heard, for example, that nice girls don’t negotiate hard or that you have to hustle 24/7 to succeed? 

U: Unwritten Rules

Are you following certain assumptions about how business should be done, like saying yes to every client during a tough economy?

T: Triggers

Name the situations that cause you to shrink back and abandon your values. Outright rejection? Pressure to keep up with competitors? 

E: Evidence

What proof do you have that sticking to your values doesn’t always work? Last time you held your own, for instance, was there a backlash? Did you lose money, staff or clients? 

D: Decisions

Did you compromise your values as a trade-off? Perhaps you’re in grind mode—”I can’t afford to be picky now”—so you decide to compromise first and fix things later when you’re more established. 

DISCOVER YOUR TRUE NORTH.

If you’ve gone off-course, Faison introduced another exercise to get back in step with your original values. She named it NORTH, another handy acronym, after the navigational North Star. 

N: Name it.

Identify the specific value being challenged. “Don’t just say, ‘This feels wrong,'” said Faison. “Be precise.” 

O: Own it.

Acknowledge the full weight of the situation. What is at risk if you compromise and what might happen if you don’t? Again, be specific. 

R: Reveal options.

Explore all the possible paths you could take, not whether you should compromise. As Faison noted, “It’s rarely going to be a yes-or-no answer.” 

T: Test each path.

For each option, ask the following questions. If you can’t answer yes to all three, then it’s not the right path—even if it’s the most profitable one. 

• Does this align with who I say I am? 

• Would I be proud to explain this decision publicly? 

• Does this move me closer or further from my values? 

H is for Honor Your Decision

Make the call, document your reasoning and stand behind it. 

There’s no way to have a successful business without leaning into your values.”

INTEGRATE YOUR VALUES.

Next up: Faison’s four-step approach to put those values into practice. 

Name it out loud.

Be explicit when you find yourself out of sync. Write it down or tell someone you trust, for accountability—e.g., instead of noting that something feels off, say, “I value integrity and I’ve been compromising it by staying silent in leadership meetings.” 

Choose one area to realign. 

Don’t overhaul everything at once. Pick one area where misalignment is costing you the most—whether financially, in reputation or in sleep—and start there. Do an audit using the MUTED and NORTH techniques. 

Make one values-aligned decision this week. 

Small and concrete beats big and theoretical: decline one misaligned request, have one honest conversation or adjust one policy or procedure.

Build accountability into your calendar. 

Schedule a monthly values check-in with yourself. Review whether you’ve honored your values or drifted, and commit to one adjustment by the following month. 

APPLY YOUR VALUES ACROSS THE BUSINESS. 

We all know brands that highlight their values on their website or social media—but, according to Faison, that’s only half of the equation. “Yes, it’s important to name them,” she said, “but it doesn’t matter if you and your team are not living the values internally, if they’re not integrated throughout the DNA of your business.”

• Does your marketing reflect what you stand for—or what’s going to get you the most coverage? 

• Would you publicly stand behind your partnerships and collaborations? Don’t compromise your values to please stakeholders or to keep the peace. 

• The same goes for clients—make sure you’re accepting work from people who respect your values. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable position, implement a better vetting process before you sign a contract. 

• When pricing your products or services, don’t forget your worth. If you’re concerned about price sensitivity or want to promote access and inclusivity, consider different price points for different levels of access. For example, Faison charges different coaching fees for large corporations vs. startups, and also offers a free newsletter. 

• Your hiring process should be grounded in your values, too. “The worst time to figure out if an employee is values-aligned is in the middle of a big project,” she pointed out. 

For Solopreneurs:

Core values matter for you as well; in fact, they’re your competitive advantage. “You are the company values,” Faison explained. “You can pivot faster when alignment drifts and be radically transparent.” 

The catch? There’s no one else to blame. “You have got to own it, the good and the bad,” she added. 

MAKE SPACE FOR VALUES TO CHANGE.

The regular check-ins Faison suggested should leave room for your values to evolve over time. “Do they still serve you, where you are and who you are becoming as you move forward?” she asked. 

If the answer is yes, then simply run through the framework outlined here for realignment. If not, assess whether the shift is a personal transition or whether the business needs to evolve, too. “Maybe the values you started with,” said Faison, “are not the ones you need to take into your next phase.”