Reconnecting with our values to find our purpose

ABSTRACT: Nurse managers face expanding responsibilities, workforce strain, and eroding trust in health care environments, underscoring the need for effective, sustainable leadership. Values-driven leadership provides a critical foundation for nurse leader development by aligning personal and organizational values, translating them into observable behaviors, and embedding them into daily practice. Drawing on interdisciplinary leadership research and a real-world academic medical center case study, the authors demonstrate how values-driven approaches strengthen engagement, trust, well-being, and performance. Anchoring leadership development in values offers nurse leaders a durable compass for navigating change and improving outcomes for staff, organizations, and patients.