Value Pillars

As we prepare to enter both a new year and a new decade, I think it is good to reflect back on 2019 and the 2010's. What are our underlying values, and what did we do over the past year and decade to maintain and improve on those values.

Everyone always has New Year's resolution, but I think that's misguided. Maybe it is losing weight, getting back into the gym, reading more, or something else - these are all symptoms of a bigger issue. What is the underlying value set that, if followed, would lead to those things you value so much that you want to make a resolution around it?

If you have a resolution, consider why the issue exists in the first place. From my experience, it stems from either missing our existing value or not including that in our existing value set.

For example - getting back to the gym. That's a popular one. Why do you want to get back to the gym? Maybe it is to get in better shape, to lose weight, etc. Why do you want that? To be in better health, to feel better. Why do you want that?

We want to feel better and be in better shape because it makes us feel better, more confident. And feeling better means we are better in our daily lives -we have more energy - we aren't insecure. That means we can give more to our families, our employer... we feel more in control. In other words, it is tied to the value of being helpful, having integrity, being the best we can be. If we aren't going to the gym, getting exercise, our bodies and minds suffer. We aren't at our best. And therefore, we aren't firing on all cylinders. Our performance suffers. We struggle more to meet expectations. But if we're hitting the gym on a regular basis, we feel better. We feel more confident. We address stresses much better. It doesn't make us a better person, but it makes us more available to our jobs and family - it makes us stronger, adds stamina - and overall allows us to deliver on the existing value of being the best we can be, meeting expectations, etc.

Instead of setting resolutions such as "getting back into the gym" - make your resolution - defining and reconfirming your underlying set of values. Determine what all the peripheral requirements to meet those value expectations are, and then resolve to bring that house in order - that might mean getting back to the gym, losing weight, but it also might mean finding a mentor, volunteering, sharing your wisdom, completing a new certification or degree, taking a leadership class, etc.

The ending of a year and the beginning of a new year is a great time to not just resolve to make one change, but to reflect on your life. It is great to try to define what your values are, and how those manifest in your life.

Find your pillars. What are the measurable aspects of your values you can define and drive towards? What are the areas that support your values? I made a diagram - drilling down deeper and deeper until I identified the actual operational things I could do, which help support those pillars. Those can then be used to set goals - daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals. That sort of analysis allows you to clearly see your strengths and weaknesses - from which you can devote time to. For me, one of the things I identified in this process was to read more about leadership, business, and building relationships. I saw my career progression and realized that I needed to get out of the IT basement and into the boardroom. Reading and applying what I learned was crucial for that.

I was born in the 1960s. I've seen a few decades come and go. At my age, I realize that we can just go year after year, decade after decade, in a rut, with no improvement. We can get a job on the assembly line, do our job, go home, and be perfectly happy. But for those who push their own potential, who continue to strive to be better, we must ensure our professional and personal pursuits are grounded in a set of values. If we do that, we don't need to worry about annual resolutions. We've identified the holistic set of activities that help us maintain and further our ability to stand up to our values.

Happy New Year to all my connections. Spend the next year and next decade refining the activities that allow you to continue meeting and exceeding your values.