TALE AS OLD AS TIME
Many companies are told they need to have core values to be successful. They hire a nice branding company and next thing you know, they have core values, slogans, logos, the works. They usually include a lot of the latest buzzwords (you know the ones).
Listen, there is nothing wrong with that approach. The thing is, having “buzzword-y” core values alone will not make you successful. However, companies who take the time to hone into core values that truly speak to the essence of their organization, and live into them to the fullest extent possible, will contribute greatly to their success.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR YOU!
My world changed when I learned we, as individuals, get to have core values, too! Not only do we all get to have core values, we all should have core values. By naming my values, I was able to live in alignment with what was truly important to me. I could then speak to what I needed from others and weigh important decisions against these values as a metric of integrity. This was equally as impactful in the workplace as it was in my personal life.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE CORE VALUES?
Core values are also referred to as our “North Star”. Brené Brown has simplified the definition of values to mean “A way of living or believing that we hold most important.” When we take the time to know our values, and live in alignment with them, we can be more courageous. We live with integrity, honesty and purpose.
On the contrary, when we are out of alignment with our values, we may feel triggered. Until we name our values, we may not realize why we feel this way. For example, once I narrowed down my top values, I was able to understand that time was a value that was extremely important to me.
Naming time as a core value helped me understand why when someone asked me to do something last minute, I felt disrespected and annoyed. I learned that time is so important to me, that I do my best to manage it in a way that will allow me to have enough time to take care of myself, enjoy life, and get work done. This then lead me to ask for ample notice before being given tasks, which was a courageous act, but vital to my success and well being.
HOW CAN YOU LIVE INTO YOUR CORE VALUES?
In her book, Dare to Lead, Brené Brown outlines 3 important steps for living into your values:
- Name them. You can’t live into values you can’t name. We suggest taking a wide view of your values, and then narrowing them down to 2 or 3 that really get to the heart of them.
- Turning your values into actual behavior. In my example, this looked like me asking for others to respect my time and defining what that was. It also looked like me respecting other people’s time.
- Empathy and self-compassion. When you start living into your values, you become vulnerable and courageous. Which is the most likely place to feel shame. We need people around us who know can support us in this journey and we also need to give ourselves compassion in the process.
HOW CAN THIS HELP IN THE WORKPLACE?
At Tallon Consulting Group, we have helped individuals find their values so they can live into them and become more authentic and aware individuals in the workplace. It is a very powerful exercise. And, guess what? We often see patterns between Enneagram type and values.
The fact is, when you are aligned with your core values, you won’t back down from what really matters to you. As Brené Brown says, “Daring leaders who live into their values, are never silent about hard things.” In fact, her research has found this to be true.
Want to learn about the personal value systems within your organization? Drop us a note!
