When you have a difficult decision to make, it is your values that guide you. And the time to identify your values is in a calm space, not in a time of crisis.From time to time we all feel like we don’t fit in. When thinking about why that might be, it is often the case that there is a mismatch between our values and those of the company we’re interacting with, or the team we are part of.
How well do you know what your values are? When was the last time you checked-in with yourself to identify what is important to you and how closely those things are aligned to your current situation?
When our values are being met we are energised, feel positive, and our contributions can really make a difference. When we are working for an organisation or team whose values match ours we feel like we belong and have found our place.
Values are a whole lot more than a set of words or statements. They are not more meaningful if they are made into a poster, or if the first letter of each one spells out a word. That might make them easier to recite but doesn’t make them real. What makes values real is when they are lived. Right values lead to right thoughts, right thoughts lead to right actions, and right actions lead to right results. When others interact with you, you want them to experience something of the kind of person you are, and if the way you behave has a resonance with them, they are more likely to come back and work with you again, buy your products, or collaborate with you.
A common exercise is to review a set of prompts, identify the ones that resonate with you and, of those, which are more important to you than others. It can take a while to reflect on them so is best done over a few weeks prior to a coaching session focussing on why they are meaningful to you and how they influence your life. Which ones are being met? Which one’s are causing tension? Tuning into your values is a valuable pursuit in your life journey. They are your internal guide and can help you through times of change.
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