Courage, Clarity, and Confidence

7Connect with Your Values

Learning to identify and beginning to listen to your own voice reveals your values. Knowing your values, but more importantly, being able to articulate how your values impact your life and work, is critical for career fulfillment and success. One thing I have personally learned and observed through work with my clients is that all conflict – interpersonal and intrapersonal – is a result of values being violated. Being able to honor your own values and respect others’ values will be the solution to almost every conflict.

First, let's quickly establish a universal definition of what values are. Values are the principles or ideas that govern a person's character, actions, decisions, and communication style. Values are what is most important to us and what we appreciate in others. I like to think of it like this: values are our drivers. The standards by which we live and evaluate others. They are why we do what we do.

We typically two sets of values, personal and professional. As we start this particular chapter, I am going to ask you to consider what your values might be, and then identify and define them from a personal perspective, and finally from a professional perspective. Moving through this chapter, we'll discuss why our values are such a critical piece of alignment and success. Your values serve as your North Star in your career evolution and progression. Let's jump right in!

When you think about values in your life, what might some of your values ...