As a practice manager, you have a unique opportunity to shape the culture and direction of your organization. But how do you ensure that your personal goals and values align with those of your employer, colleagues, and clients? In this article, we will explore some strategies to help you match your goals and values with your organization.
The first step is to identify and clarify your own goals and values. What are you passionate about? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your short-term and long-term aspirations? How do you measure success? What are your core principles and beliefs? You can use various tools and methods to help you answer these questions, such as self-reflection, feedback, personality tests, or coaching.
I've found the principle of Ikigai to be tremendously useful as you look to have these existential conversations: it's the convergence of what you're good at, what you love, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs.
The next step is to learn more about your organization's goals and values. What is its mission, vision, and strategy? What are its core values and culture? How does it communicate and reward its employees and clients? How does it handle challenges and opportunities? You can use various sources of information to help you research your organization, such as its website, policies, reports, newsletters, or interviews.
Primary research (talking to people) is paramount here: a website can say many things, but getting the inside scoop from actual people, and triangulating what is true can help you to defray bias and get closer to the truth.
The third step is to compare and contrast your goals and values with those of your organization. How compatible are they? Where do they align or diverge? How do they affect your performance and satisfaction? How do they influence your relationships and interactions? You can use various frameworks and tools to help you analyze and visualize the similarities and differences, such as SWOT, Venn diagrams, or matrices.
The fourth step is to bridge the gaps between your goals and values and those of your organization. How can you leverage your strengths and address your weaknesses? How can you align your actions and behaviors with your organization's expectations and standards? How can you contribute to your organization's objectives and outcomes? How can you communicate and collaborate effectively with your organization's stakeholders? You can use various techniques and skills to help you bridge the gaps, such as goal-setting, planning, problem-solving, negotiation, or feedback.
The fifth step is to seek support and feedback from your organization and others. How can you access the resources and opportunities that your organization offers? How can you learn from your organization's best practices and examples? How can you get constructive feedback and recognition from your organization's leaders and peers? How can you network and mentor with others who share your goals and values? You can use various channels and platforms to help you seek support and feedback, such as meetings, surveys, reviews, or online communities.
The final step is to review and adjust your goals and values and their alignment with your organization. How have they changed over time? How have they influenced your career path and development? How have they impacted your organization's performance and reputation? How have they affected your personal and professional growth and happiness? You can use various methods and measures to help you review and adjust your goals and values, such as self-evaluation, benchmarks, metrics, or feedback.