Values. As in beliefs. Standards. The backbone of your business.

Here it is - hot off the...keyboard(?) - edition 003 of The Power Sauce - Coach Kym’s weekly(ish) “good talk” about all things power and how you can (and should) use it to build a better consulting business.

This week, I want us to have a quick chat about Values.

Not values as in the words on sorry office posters with tabby cats dreaming about becoming pride-leading lions one day.?

Not values as in wishy-washy “live, laugh, love.” kumbaya circle stuff.

Like…VALUES values.?

As in actual brass knuckles you slip on before smacking mediocrity in the chops because we’re done with being lumped in with your average consulting practice.?

Okay, yes - I might have woken up today and chosen violence. Namely because it massively grinds my gears when everyone talks about “values”, but few understand what they are and how to use them to power up their business. I shouldn’t even care, but I do because sometimes I find myself helping clients who've paid $10K for a "rebrand" and ended up with templated, run-of-the-mill "Chat GPT make me a brand book" guidelines for how they're supposed to show up in business. Nuts. ?

Anyway, to make sure we’re on the same page, here’s what I mean when I talk about values in the Power Player universe:

They are, as the dictionary definition states, principles or beliefs that guide how a business operates.?

They’re the compass that helps you navigate which way is forward when the inevitable sheezy hits the fan (because it absolutely, categorically, will hit the fan as a consulting professional, so you’re gonna need your values to cope.)

They’re the ultimate client filter - they tell perfect potential clients to step up ready for a rockstar consulting experience, and they tell the nightmare clients to do one (before they get their claws in, suck your soul dry and thank you for the opportunity to screw up your setup...ask me how I know.)

They’re a decision-making power tool so you’re not waffling like a politician with their pants down, instead your values give you the balls to say "hell yes" or "hell no" with conviction. No stuttering necessary.?

But here's the thing: your values only do their job if they're 100% aligned to who you are and you actually stand for something. Because Power Players have something to say, along with a loud and proud raison d'etre they embody in full. Which is important while we inhabit a world where everyone’s trying to please everyone (sounds weird, but we all know it’s true) because standing tall for something you believe in is like wearing a neon sign at a funeral. And, it’s how you get noticed - fast.?

Seriously. When was the last time you got excited about something "meh"?

Never, right?

That's because humans are hardwired to respond to courage, conviction, and a clear stance - it represents safety and security. So, we can’t expect our consulting clients to get excited about “meh” either - despite how gorgeous your logo, polished your headshot, or whizzy your website is. People get excited when they can pick a side. It's why people have favourite sports teams, die-hard fandoms, and heated debates about pineapple on pizza (yep, that one again. Lemme end the argument here: it's delicious, and I’ll hear NO MORE said about it. Fight me).

So, we want to get people excited.?

And we want them to be excited about who we are and what we do.?

And if we think of values as a projection of our business personality, then for the right people to notice us and get hyped, we need those values to be genuine and unfiltered so our personality can shine and be remembered.?

Your consulting business should have an unforgettable personality because your clients will need to feel like they know the?real?you to trust you and develop all-important relationships. If you’re faking it until you’re making it, potential clients will smell this from a mile off.?

Bottom line is, you gotta be you and you should be okay with you coming through in how you do business.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"But Auntie Coach Kym, if I ethically borrow (ahem: swipe, you mean?) a few values from **insert multi-billion dollar company here - usually Apple, Nike, Google, etc.**, then surely that would make sense, because if those values work for them, and I use the same, I should expect world domination too, right?”?

No.

There’s no world domination for you. There’s only world domination for those who determine their values based on who THEY are (not who they’re pretending to be), what THEY truly believe, THEIR ethics and what THEY can realistically commit to doing.

You can’t take someone else’s values and expect to fit them into what you do. They’re not designed for you; they’re designed for Apple, Nike, Google, etc., and as you can see, they’re working out well FOR THEM. The same won’t work for you. Defining your values is a deep, inner-work process based on your innate beliefs and experiences; you don’t just come up with them on the fly because you saw some you liked. They should be as unique to you as your fingerprint and tailored further. You cannot lift someone else’s and call them yours and expect them to do their job. They couldn’t even if they tried.??

In other words, you gotta figure out:?

• What makes you tick, and what pisses you off so you can seriously show people where you stand.?
• What you can translate into real-world behaviour that clients can see, feel and experience.
• How you can be hyper-specific about what you believe so you can deliver in full.(Honestly, if I see one more “We’Re PasSiOnAtE AboUt oUR Work!” I’m gonna lose ma damn mind. If you have ever gone down this route, try something more rousing, like: “We’d rather chew glass than deliver anything less than outstanding.” See, I like that. At least it has some teeth, right?)
• How to ruffle feathers. As Michael Port always said, "There are some people you’re meant to serve and others, not so much." I always like to translate that as “Say it with your chest. The clients who matter will love you for it. The ones who don't can take a long walk off a short pier.” (I warned you - violence today!)

Your values are a big ‘ol bat signal for your dream clients who ARE looking for someone exactly like you right now to help them with a problem only you can solve.

When you proudly display those values, you’re saying, “Hey, this matters to me. If stuff like this matters to you, too, then our client-consultant relationship was probably written in the stars. Come say hello.”

And I can tell you firsthand that when you find those clients who align with your values, it's like hitting the jackpot repeatedly. Suddenly, work doesn't feel like work anymore because everyone is on the same page, moving towards the same goal, and the results often exceed all expectations. In short, it’s an absolute JOY.

Conversely, I realised that every nightmare client I’ve had the opportunity to “learn” from (*insert facepalm here*) had given me plenty of red flags, the majority based on them clearly not aligning with my values. But Kym didn’t listen to that…and oh boy, she paid a hefty price…multiple times, in fact. Idiot.?

But it's not just about attracting the right clients. Having strong, clear values gives you a framework for every decision you make in your business. Should you take on that project? Does this marketing strategy align with who you are? Would Future You high-five Current You for this choice? Your values have alllll the answers.

Coach Kym’s trifecta of Power Player Values.

Now, let's talk about my three ride-or-die values as the Power Player Coach.

I talk about these often as they aren't just fightin’ words - they're the bedrock of how I operate, and they might just inspire you to think about your values in a new light.?

Here goes:

1. Respect: "Do what you say you will when you say you will every single time. And recognize when expertise is showing."

This isn't your “meeting-the-parents-please-and-thank-you" kinda respect (though that's nice, too). This is about being a person of your word, every damn time. It's about recognizing that your time is valuable, and so is everyone else's. When you commit to something, you deliver - no ifs, ands, or buts. And when someone else brings their A-game? You acknowledge it, learn from it, and tip your hat to it. Because true Power Players aren't threatened by other people's expertise - they celebrate it.

2. Wisdom: "Consistently apply what you know now in the real world, then choose to assess, adapt and grow at every opportunity."

Knowledge is power, but wisdom? That's a nuclear weapon in consulting realms. It's not enough to have a head full of facts and figures. True wisdom is about taking what you know and applying it in real life, where things are messy and unpredictable. And it doesn't stop there. Real wisdom is about neverending growth. It's about looking at every situation, success or failure, and asking, "What can I learn from this?" It's about being humble enough to adapt and bold enough to keep pushing forward.

3. Audacity: "Take action and make decisions from which even the bravest in society would run. Make relentless, bold, brazen behaviour a habit."

This, my friends, is the value that makes me go hyper-fuzzy. I LOVE it. Audacity is about having the guts to do what others won't. It's about making the tough calls and taking the risks that make your palms sweat and your heart race. But here’s where it gets extra exciting - when you make audacity a habit, those big, scary decisions? They swiftly start to feel like second nature. You become the person who runs towards challenges instead of away from them. And that's when you start playing in a whole different league.

So, these values are the ones that work for me, as in Coach Kym, based on who I am and where I've journeyed from. Now, it’s time to figure out what works for you.?

Remember, This isn't about copying someone else's homework. It's about inner excavation, finding what truly matters to you and illuminating THAT.?

Once you've nailed down your values, it's important to let the world know. Incorporate them into your website, your social media bios, your proposals, your email signatures and your content marketing. Get 'em tattooed if you're feeling extra committed (yes, I know people who have done this!)

Whatever you do,?don't just list them - live them.?

Share stories of how your values guide your work. Create content that showcases your values in action. Use them as a filter for the opportunities you pursue and the partnerships you form.

Remember, your values are your differentiator. In a sea of consultants, all claiming to be?"pAssIoNatE",?"REsULts-DriVeN", and?“InNoVaTIvE”, your deeply thought-out and wholly individual set of values is what will make you stand out more than ever.

Innnnn closing….

Having strong, clear values isn't just about attracting clients or making decisions. It's about building a consulting practice that genuinely reflects who you are and what you believe in.

It's about creating a business that energises you, challenges you, and makes you proud.

Your values are your compass in the jungle of consulting. They'll guide you towards the right opportunities, the right clients, and ultimately, the right kind of success for YOU.

So, Power Player, are we ready to stand for something?

Are we ready to attract clients who'll make you excited to jump out of bed every morning?

Are we ready to build a consulting practice that's uniquely, unabashedly YOU, so when you’re working within it, it always feels like home?

Yeah? Then let's get at it.

Love ya,

P.S. - Want Extra Credit? Stick your values down in the comments so we know what you stand for and can champion you, too!

P.P.S - Don’t Care About the Extra Credit and Just Need Someone to Help You Define and Refine Your Values? My DMs are open, and we can usually get 'em done in a couple of hours plus thinky time; Holla at meh.