In my last role before starting NIYAH Leadership, I worked at a 10-person, VC-backed FinTech company. The position seemed perfect, almost too good to be true. However, the experience quickly turned into a valuable lesson about the importance of aligning stated values with actual practices. This is the story of my journey from excitement to disillusionment and the insights I gained about true leadership and company culture.

✅ The Allure of the Dream Job

After months of job searching and interviews, I landed a role at a small FinTech company that aimed to support BIPOC-owned small businesses in accounting and lending. Knowing the founders from a previous role, I was thrilled when they offered me the position of Head of Marketing & Community. The company's mission resonated with me deeply, as I wanted to support this community and learn about new financial products. It felt like the stars had aligned for the first time in a long while.

My excitement was short-lived. On my first day, I attended a leadership meeting that was chaotic and lacked a clear agenda. This disorganization continued into the company-wide meeting, leaving me wondering what I had gotten myself into. It became evident that the company's operations were far from aligned with its stated vision and values.

🚩 The Reality of Company Culture

Despite the company's diverse and innovative exterior, the internal culture was driven by competing egos and personal agendas rather than a unified mission. Simple decisions, such as creating a meeting agenda, were fraught with conflict and misalignment. This experience highlighted the critical difference between written values and actual company culture.

In just six months, I learned invaluable lessons about what not to do when building a company. The tension between stated values and real actions was palpable and detrimental to the organization's success. This misalignment fueled my decision to leave and start NIYAH Leadership, where I aimed to create a company that truly lived its values.

🌱 Values Are Living, Breathing Choices

Values should guide decisions and actions at all levels of an organization. Here are a few examples of how values might be misaligned in different roles:

• CEO: Do you value feedback if you don’t require 360 reviews or get angry when your team offers differing perspectives?

• Employee: Do you value integrity if you take shortcuts or speak poorly about coworkers?

• Manager/Director: Do you value time management if you’re regularly late to meetings and unprepared?

• Hiring Manager: Do you value inclusive hiring if you blame a “pipeline problem” and have higher BIPOC employee churn?

💬 Real Talk: Where might there be conflicts between your perceived values and actual actions?

Getting clear on my values helped me align my actions with my decisions regarding whom I work for, hire, collaborate with, partner with, and promote. What about you?

💡 Starting NIYAH Leadership

Inspired by my previous experience, I founded NIYAH Leadership to help leaders design companies that align their values and culture with daily actions. Real values are not just words in an employee handbook but guiding principles that shape decisions and behaviors. I wanted to support leaders in creating environments where values are lived and breathed every day.The journey from disillusionment to founding NIYAH Leadership has been transformative. It reinforced the importance of aligning values with daily actions and inspired me to help other leaders do the same. Values are not just ideals but actionable principles that should permeate every aspect of a company's culture.

To learn more about value alignment and see how it plays out in different roles, read the rest of this post on my newsletter, and subscribe for weekly leadership stories, tools, and tips tailored for rising BIPOC leaders like you.

Summary

1. What are the key takeaways from experiencing a misaligned startup?

The experience highlighted the importance of aligning stated values with actual practices. Misalignment can lead to chaos, low morale. inefficiency, and ultimately, the loss of high-end talent.

2. How can companies ensure their values are lived and not just stated?

Companies can ensure their values are lived by integrating them into daily actions and decisions, providing consistent feedback, and holding all leaders & employees accountable to these values. People-first organizations should also invest in executive, one-on-one coaching for rising leaders, especially for young start-up teams.

3. Why is it important for a leader to align their personal values with their company's values?

Aligning personal values with company values creates a cohesive and motivated team, leading to better decision-making, higher employee satisfaction, and overall success in achieving their goals.

4. How can reflecting on personal values impact career decisions?

Reflecting on personal values helps individuals make more informed career decisions, ensuring they work in environments that align with their principles and goals, leading to greater fulfillment. Working with a seasoned and dynamic leadership coach can support teams in scaling their careers and businesses.