If you’ve been paying attention, you’re probably aware that I’ve had a complicated relationship with SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) over the years. That being said, I was elected to the SHRM California board and began my tenure at the beginning of the year as Workforce Readiness Director. So, of course, I attended the California Legislative and HR Summit last week.

One of the keynote speakers was Johnny Taylor, SHRM’s president and CEO. His message of “Policy Not Politics” seemed contrary to the one I’ve been delivering about values-aligned leadership, and it led me to start a dialogue with him (more about that in my next Lead With Inclusion).

During the summit, I participated in an advocacy day. Alongside nearly 90 HR professionals and a few students, I met with California State Representatives to discuss pending legislation that directly affects HR professionals across the state. If you’ve never participated in this activity, I suggest you put this conference on your calendar for next year.

In the context of legislation, leadership guided by core principles rather than partisan agendas or power grabs shaped by party lines, means not supporting or opposing a bill by default based on political affiliation alone, but evaluating it through a values-based lens to ensure the policy aligns with what we believe in and serves the greater good.

While advocating for bills that uplift HR professionals and promote thriving workplaces, I had a chance to see this in action. Our advocacy was grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and centered around policies designed to drive outcomes aligned with those values in workplaces statewide. This is what values-aligned leadership can look like: principled, action-oriented, and focused on the long term. Political strategy and ideology may play a role in governance, but they cannot replace authenticity, moral clarity, and integrity.

So here’s the question I’m still chewing on: What role do your values play in shaping your politics and policy?

The answer matters — because every workplace has its own politics, not just our government. And how we think about our values in relation to politics will shape the cultures we create.

For now, I’ll leave you with this thought to ponder … if you want to take it further, you know where to find me!

Stacey Gordon, MBA
Rework Work CEO