Creating Space … To Address Misalignment

Leading With VOICCE® Series.

I can remember the feeling like it was yesterday. I'd jumped overboard. I was no longer on the boat. 

I was in my own little tiny life raft floating further and further away from the big ship. Noone knew it. Honestly, I don’t even think I knew how pivotal that moment was.

And I wish I can say this only happened once in my career, but it didn't. Sometimes my life raft was pulled back in because a courageous leader heard my hesitation, saw the signs, and helped me realign. Other times, my little raft drifted all the way out - and a new adventure was born.

You know what sat at the foundation of every single outcome? 

Value alignment. 

At some point - the frustration, the roadblocks, the constant self-motivation it all became too heavy to ignore. I would reach a kind of emotional point of no return, and I simply… couldn’t return. I never even realized this truth until I spent some time journaling. 

Jay Shetty has a saying that I've referenced more than once.

When the fear of change finally outweights the pain of staying the same - you change. 

It seems so simple, doesn't it? It rarely is in the moment, though.

It always feels clearer for me in hindsight. Eventually, being out of alignment with what mattered most - the core essence of who I am - became more painful than the fear of the unknown. I wonder if I polled 100 other professionals, would they have similar reflections? 

Last week I talked about the importance of leading with values - and how organizations play a key role in supporting that. I don’t think the cost of misalignment is simply losing a good leader one day. I think the cost is slow, subtle, and cumulative.

The urgency to meet deadlines fades. The willingness to speak up wanes. The desire to go the extra mile - gone.

And what happens to the culture then? What happens to the teams and colleagues who depended on that leader’s presence, clarity, or guidance?

Organizational culture rarely collapses in a single moment. It happens by degrees - little by little - the quiet disengagement of people whose values are no longer reflected in the environment around them.

People are the reflection of culture. And culture is a reflection of values - lived or unlived.

But here’s the hopeful truth: Values misalignment isn’t a dead end. It’s a signal. A nudge. An invitation to pay attention.

For leaders, that signal invites us to pause, reflect, and reconnect with who we are - not who the shifted culture pressures us to be.

For organizations, it’s an opportunity to realign the experience with the values on the wall - to create space for honesty, courage, humanity, and clarity.

When values are named, understood, and supported - alignment grows. energy returns. and leadership becomes sustainable again. All is not lost. And we can all climb back in the boat.

We can’t stop every misalignment from happening. But we can respond to it with curiosity, integrity, and intention. That’s where healthy culture begins - one committed organization at a time - one aligned leader at a time.

Does this resonate? If so, stay tuned, and if you’re ready to support your teams with more intention and clarity, I am hosting an exclusive Executive Roundtable for HR Professionals and those supporting People Leaders. Join me on December 12 for - Executive Roundtable: What People Leaders Wish They Could Tell You (But Don't)

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Thank you for your presence. I am so excited to continue this journey with you!

In gratitude, Tian.

Tian Philson Leadership, Wellness & Mindset Coach | Creator of the VOICCE® Decision Making & Empowerment Framework |Helping leaders go inward so they can go upward.