The Importance of Value Alignment

The Importance of Value Alignment

Part 2 of 3:

“Personal Values”

Last week I wrote about Company Values. This week, let’s focus on their fraternal twin: PERSONAL Values.

Where Company Values form the basis of a company’s culture and identity…?

“Core Personal Values” are the?principles and beliefs?that guide an individual’s?behavior?and shape our?sense of self.?

These Values are a deeply engrained part of every human’s identity. In just about every way, they influence how we think, feel, and act.?

This is not a small thing. Discovering and defining our Personal Values is an investment with a big payoff! A little exercise in this part of your life can shift everything you experience from this moment forward.

Values and Identity

Maybe it seems elementary, but let’s first consider why Personal Values are so important to our?identity:?

·??????they help us?define who we are?and what we stand for,?

·??????they give us a sense of?purpose & direction, and?

·??????we use them to set?goals and?make important?decisions.?

For example: if one of your Personal Values is honesty, it probably guides you to be generally truthful and avoid lying, which helps build trust in relationships.

* Being a successfully adapted and civilized adult in the modern world requires us to master this level of self-awareness… yet many of us never take the time to truly define what’s at the core of our individual Operating System. As a coach, I’d suggest this is low-hanging fruit with a massive payoff.

Values and Relationships

Personal Values always play a crucial role in shaping our relationships. When we share similar values with others, we form stronger connections and a sense of community.?

On the other hand, when our values clash, it can lead to misunderstandings & conflict.

~ If we haven’t done the work to identify our own values, it’s easy to wander into conflict and never know how we got there. ~

This doesn’t mean we can’t have healthy, and even intimate, relationships with those who don’t share our values!?

In fact, awareness and understanding of this distinction makes it easier to form and maintain connections with people who see the world differently.?

~ “Aha! This person is not my enemy, we just have a values mismatch.”~

Values and Well-Being

Awareness of our Personal Values also helps promote our mental & emotional well-being.?

That’s a big claim, but it turns out to be one of the most important benefits of working to identify our values and integrate them into our daily lives.

·??????As we begin to recognize the things that are most important to us, it cultivates new levels of?self-awareness.??

·??????Greater self-awareness leads us to make?better decisions.

·??????Also, we are more likely to set healthy?boundaries?that ensure our own needs are being met.

In this case, the foundation of our mental and emotional health benefits from a relatively easy exercise with clear and appealing results.?

Values Alignment

So, we’ve considered how wrapping our arms around our Personal Values directly and positively influences our identity, relationships, and well-being.?

The next step is considering how consistent we are with applying those Values in our interactions, plans, thoughts, habits, choices, and feelings. The leads to what’s called “Values Alignment.”?

Thoughtfully aligning our daily actions with our core values and beliefs invariably leads to greater?peace of mind?and?emotional balance.?

If you’re a “What’s in it for me?” kind of person, you’re probably starting to recognize that strong value alignment can lead to some big payoffs in your life.

~ As is so often the case, internal work leads to very satisfying external outcomes. ~

A key connection for most people occurs when this process illuminates the many ways our behavior affects others who are important to them.?

A person with strong value alignment is likely to make decisions that support those they care about – and make choices that respect their values & boundaries.?

As noted above, this allows us to reshape our relationships in healthy new ways.?

So, understanding our Values and integrating them into our daily lives helps us create a life that is in alignment. This fosters mental and emotional well-being. It elevates our overall happiness in our inner life, our family life, our social life, and our work life.?

Wouldn’t you say it’s worth doing a little exercise to strengthen this muscle?

EXERCISE: Identifying Your Values

How does one identify their core personal values? Some of us can easily name them. Others may not think about them often enough to be able to identify them.?

~ Whether deliberately or on autopilot, each of us lives our life according to our beliefs and values. ~?

An essential foundation of coaching is that a deliberate and mindful life is a life well-lived. So, becoming more aware of the core values that guide how we think, act, and feel is massively worthwhile.?

Uncovering your personal values may take some reflection. Let’s try:

1)????Standout Experiences

One useful approach is to think about past experiences that were meaningful or memorable.?

Maybe you have a strong recollection of a time when someone deceived you. Notice how you feel about that memory…

If that experience was greatly upsetting to you, consider if?honesty?might be one of your core values.?

Why does knowing this matter??

If?honesty?is in fact a core value, then someone being deceptive would violate that value.?

You would likely feel a strong reaction to that violation, which can quickly create conflict.?

Understanding what is happening in that moment – and why – gives you the power to understand yourself and remain in control of your thoughts and actions.??

So, a strong feeling about this experience is a clue worth paying attention to.

2)????Role Model Qualities

Another excellent approach is to consider people you greatly admire. Is there someone you might consider a role model??

What are the qualities you admire about them??

Identifying those qualities will likely point to your own core values.?

Personally, I recognize that most of the people I aspire to be more like share certain qualities. One of those admirable qualities is the?compassion?they exhibit for others.?

If I ask myself, “is this a quality that influences how I operate in my own life?” Absolutely it is.?

I can’t say for sure if it’s one of their core values, but this exercise tells me that?compassion?is definitely one of my core values.?

3)????Inner Voice

A third method is to take a deep breath, quiet your mind for a few seconds, and simply ask yourself: “what’s most important to me?”?

Then, just listen for the voice in your own head. Just listen in your mind for the first response that comes back.

Try to avoid superimposing?*the things you’re supposed to say.*??

You’re listening for your authentic, unscripted inner voice. What it tells you likely points to your core personal values.

Ultimately, knowing your personal values is a key aspect of living a meaningful and fulfilling life. Values alignment provides an incredible advantage in creating a life that is true to who you are and what you believe in.?

If you’re curious about gaining mastery of your Personal Values and generating the kind of alignment that transforms your relationships, your life, and your career – I’m an expert at “Values Discovery and Alignment.”?

Message me today, or just book a conversation:?www.thebaard.com