Imagine being randomly stopped on the street and asked, “Can you name your core values?”. Aside from contemplating the unusual encounter, how would you respond?
Quoting the Golden Rule?
Maybe by identifying with a religion?
Or generically saying, “I try to be a good person”.
Not terrible answers, but do they really address the question being posed?
I was speaking with an executive who was inquiring about coaching and this illustration really caused her to stop and think. She didn’t know how to begin discovering her core values, yet it was evident that knowing the answer could bring peace and clarity to the swampy situation she was wading through.
According to www.selfgrowth.com, core values are defined as “emotionally charged one-word statements (value statements) that engage our hearts and minds and help to define our real self.” Our “real self”, hmmmmm, are you self-aware enough to thoughtfully articulate it to another?
Core values drive our life. They are innately and unconsciously seeking to be expressed through everything we do. And when we’re not authentically living in alignment with our unique blend of values, stress enters in.
Core values help explain the cohesiveness (or lack of) in relationships.
They allow a job applicant to determine potential compatibility when measured against a company’s core values.
And small business owners spend significant time crafting company values, a mission statement, designing culture and developing a strategic plan, but if those are not in alignment with how they’re personally wired, it can be a massive invitation for future frustration.
When it’s put in those terms, it seems like a pretty important answer to know!
So then, how do you find them?
First, you can hire a coach like myself. A coach is trained to listen for over 100+ things in a conversation, one of those being a client’s values.
Another option is a simple internet search revealing a variety of exercises, books and courses that exist to help individuals learn their core values. Or you can hit Reply and ask for my worksheets to shed some light here.
Lastly, if you prefer formal assessments, I recommend one called the Core Values Index. This 10-minute questionnaire measures the innate, unchanging nature of an individual with a 97% duplication rate. I’ve personally taken the assessment twice in a six-year time frame and though my life had drastically changed, the results came out the same! It’s a rather remarkable tool and one I’d be happy to offer a complimentary debriefing of your results. Click here to access a free version of the CVI.
We spend a lot of time and money on our health with annual checkups, dietary choices and regular exercise just to keep well. When was the last time you gave that same attention to connecting with your core wiring? If you don’t know where to begin, click the link below:
Here's to deepening your self-awareness!
Halle
ps…if you’re not yet following me over on Insta, click here to do so!
Plus a few other links of interest:
1. TIMEOUT, a 2-day private coaching retreat! Travel to the resort town of Traverse City, Michigan for an escape from distractions to clearly think, regroup, prioritize, and plan.
2. Could your team benefit from upgrading their leadership? Inquire about Leadership Essentials Academy, a 6-month leadership training & coaching cohort for new and emerging leaders.
3. Time for a new journal? Pick up a new copy of my Know Thyself Journal for daily support towards your most important intentions for the next 90 days.
4. Are you into individual assessments? Here is a link to take a free Core Values Assessment (CVI). It only takes 10 minutes and measures your innate, unchanging nature. Take it yourself and feel free to forward it to a friend, too.
Comments