The Power of Understanding Your Values: A Leader's Guide

Values are everywhere! They're key to self-understanding, team dynamics, and even leadership style. My MBA studies have really driven this home. Reflecting on my own values has become crucial for building a responsible organization, defining my leadership approach, and crafting both a mission statement and a kind of 'user manual' for myself."

Why Sharing Values Matters

Have you ever struggled to connect with someone, only to have it "click" effortlessly with another? Values play a huge role in these interactions. During a recent conversation, the topic of values and their differences across individuals came up. This reinforced my belief in the importance of sharing core values. It fosters better communication in all kinds of relationships.

In my previous team, I actively encouraged everyone to not only understand their own values but also get to know each other's values. My coaching education also emphasized self-discovery as a prerequisite for helping others. We all approach situations with our own biases and value-driven perspectives. As leaders and humans, understanding our own values is key to effective interaction.

Your Values: A Dynamic Journey

Values develop over time, shaped by experiences from childhood onwards. But they're not set in stone! Re-evaluating them is essential. Sometimes, a pivotal moment reveals a value you didn't even know was so important. For example, one of my core values is freedom. I only truly grasped its significance when I felt my definition of freedom threatened by imposed limitations.

Leadership Styles and Value Alignment

Let me share an example: My previous manager gave me a lot of freedom to find projects and contribute to the organization. It seemed strange compared to colleagues who received more guidance. This made me realize I thrive with freedom and ownership. However, a different leader who implemented an closely monitored style and demanded constant updates made me feel untrusted. This experience highlighted the impact of leadership styles on value alignment. As a leader myself now, I understand that everyone has different needs: some require more guidance, while others flourish with encouragement or clear goals.

Ready to Uncover Your Core Values?

Understanding your core values can feel like a deeply personal journey of reflection, exploration, and iteration. Don't get discouraged if you haven't pinpointed them yet! Here's a helpful exercise to get you started:

• Ready to Identify Your Core Values? Take a look at the graphic for inspiration, then dive deeper with online resources to discover a wider range of core values. Write down the ones that truly speak to you!"

• Connecting Your Values: Do some values seem interconnected? For example, I consider fun, joy, and adventure to be linked, so I prioritized "joy" as a top value.

• Top 5 & Top 3: Narrow your list down to your five most important values, then refine it further to your top three.

Struggling with the Exercise? That's completely normal! It's a process of exploration. I've gone through many iterations myself, and I'm constantly learning more about myself through reflection and discussions. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need guidance!