“What do you value?” I didn’t expect that question in this interview. I had not given “values” a lot of thought. I prepared to talk about my experience. The question about values was very different than what I expected. He was not asking about what I had done or what I knew.

“Honesty. I value honesty.” I have always valued telling the truth. Even when it is hard. I especially value hearing the truth from others. If someone is not honest with me, I struggle with everything else. Honesty is the basis of a strong relationship.

I thought about my answer and it was not complete. I do not just value honesty. “I also value personal productivity.” Productivity did not seem like a value at first. Yet there were people with whom I have worked who did not seem to scrutinize their productivity. I care very much about productivity.

I have thought a lot more about this question. I also care a lot about how people treat each other. I give people the benefit of the doubt. I want to be given the benefit of the doubt. I avoid negativity and overly sharp-edged criticism. I promote mutual respect and support over cutthroat competition.

Values are important to refine. They are your personal lens on leadership. Your team needs to know your values. I have made a habit of meeting with newly hired team members and sharing my values with them directly.

I value honesty. Honesty is at the core of everything we do. We must be honest with one another in order to improve. We must be honest with each other in order to recognize the truth of any situation. We must be honest to make the best plans and move forward.

I value kindness. Kindness is a fundamental part of any positive team culture. Kindness comes from treating your team with respect. Kindness does not trump honesty. We can be kind in our honesty and preserve one another's feelings; we can be kind and give one another the benefit of the doubt. We can be honest while lifting each other up, not tearing anyone down.

I value productivity. We are paid to deliver results. Our organization relies on our work to produce value for customers. We must be productive in our roles. We must be productive as a team. Productivity does not supersede honesty or kindness, but without it, we don’t have a job.

I have experienced teams with some but not all of these values. Productive teams that are unkind. Kind teams that are unproductive. Teams that are fake with each other and speak truths only behind each others’ backs. The very best teams with which I have worked are honest with one another, kind to each other, and tremendously productive. These three values are the core of the very best teams. What do you value? How do you share those values with your team?