In today's world, authenticity, alignment, and integrity are no longer optional—they are essential. Congruent leadership, or allowing our core values to inform our decisions, is imperative. Leaders who embrace this approach foster environments of trust and purpose, where teams feel deeply connected to their work and each other, empowered to collaborate and excel.

Below, hear from six thought leaders who are practicing congruent leadership today and learn about the impact it has had on their businesses.

Leading With Intuition: Rhonda Swan, Founder of Women Gone Wild and Unstoppable Branding Agency

Rhonda Swan
Rhonda Swan

Rhonda Swan's philosophy is rooted in empowering women to reclaim their voices and trust their intuition. Through initiatives like Women Gone Wild, she encourages women to embrace their authentic selves as leaders. "Congruent leadership is about tuning into your inner voice and leading with purpose," she explains.

After leaving a corporate career, Rhonda built a successful business by aligning her work with her values. "When I embraced my truth, I found my power. My advice to leaders is to get real with your values—your story is your brand, and authenticity is your greatest asset."

Living Authentically: Jules Schroeder, Founder and CEO of Unconventional Life

Jules Schroeder
Jules Schroeder

For Jules Schroeder, congruent leadership means leading in alignment with one's true values and purpose. After a near-death experience in 2015, Jules realized that success was not just about external achievements but about co-creating with authenticity. After starting a podcast and global retreat business for creatives and entrepreneurs called Unconventional Life, she built a community that values "energetic integrity," fostering an environment where people can show up as their true selves.

"Congruent leadership has allowed me to create transformation at scale," she shares. "By staying true to my values, I've built trust with my global community, and this authenticity is what draws people to our events and coaching programs."

Championing Equitable Leadership: Aang Lakey, Founder and CEO of Increasing Consciousness

Aang Lakey
Aang Lakey

For Aang Lakey, congruent leadership means aligning our thoughts, feelings, and actions with our values. Their work is centered on creating equitable environments and reducing power imbalances in leadership.

"Leading congruently means that I inspire my teams to explore innovative solutions by providing a safe space for genuine connection," says Aang. Reflecting on their experience as a nonbinary leader in the Army, they emphasize, "Dismantling systemic constraints is crucial. It was a tough journey, but staying true to my values has always been the foundation of my leadership."

Integrity as a Compass: Missy Kelly, Co-Founder and CEO of CatTongue Grips

Missy Kelly
Missy Kelly

Missy Kelly, co-founder and CEO of CatTongue Grips, describes congruent leadership as leading with authenticity and alignment to personal values. Faced with a tough decision early in her career, Missy turned down a lucrative partnership due to misaligned values. "Staying true to our principles has been critical," she notes. "It wasn't easy, but this congruency earned the trust of our customers and team, reinforcing that success is about more than profit."

Missy advises other leaders to remain steadfast in their values and to prioritize trust and transparency. "When your actions match your values, it creates an unshakeable foundation for growth."

Empowering Through Purpose: Carolina Lopez Saglietti, Founder of Superhero Programs

Carolina Lopez Saglietti
Carolina Lopez Saglietti

For Carolina Lopez Saglietti, congruent leadership is about authenticity, empowerment, and integrity. "Congruency creates a shared sense of purpose," she explains. By embodying the principles of her RRA framework, Carolina fosters a culture of trust and growth in her ventures.

Reflecting on a challenging time, she recounts, "Despite the pressure to lower prices, I stayed true to our mission of investing in mindset development. It wasn't easy, but this congruency attracted clients who valued our work and led to long-term success."

Authenticity as Power: Alena Uzhnyeva, Founder of Alonafish OU and I Am Creation Retreats

Alena Uzhnyeva
Alena Uzhnyeva

Alena Uzhnyeva's journey to congruent leadership began after years of conforming to societal expectations. She has since embraced an approach centered on self-awareness and authenticity. "Authentic leaders operate from a place of self-awareness and are guided by their mission, not external validation," Alena shares. Her retreats emphasize holistic leadership, where participants align their actions with their values to lead more effectively.

For Alena, congruent leadership also means embracing vulnerability and emotional honesty, creating a culture where her team feels empowered and aligned.

Leading from Within: Reena Merchant, Founder of OurVoice

Reena Merchant
Reena Merchant

For Reena Merchant, congruent leadership begins with self-awareness and courage. Through her Leadership from Within framework, she emphasizes the importance of understanding one's core identity and values as a foundation for genuine leadership. "True leadership doesn't come from a title or external validation—it comes from a deep connection to your authentic self," Reena explains.

Her journey involved breaking free from societal expectations and rewiring old patterns that kept her from expressing her true self. By helping others do the same, Reena has cultivated a culture of trust and resilience within her teams, empowering them to lead with purpose and authenticity. "When we lead authentically, we create space for others to step into their own truth," she adds, underscoring the ripple effect of self-expression in leadership.

Congruent Leadership for the Future

These leaders exemplify the power of congruent leadership. They show us that aligning with our core values and purpose not only fosters trust but also drives lasting impact. In a world where authenticity is increasingly valued, congruent leadership is reshaping business success. As these experts illustrate, when we lead with integrity, purpose, and alignment, we cultivate not just successful businesses, but also communities grounded in trust, connection, and shared values.