What Really Drives Your Outcomes? It May Not Be What You Think

What Are Values?

Values represent what is truly important to us in all our professional and personal endeavours. They are the principles that we have learned over our lifetime, and now define how we conduct ourselves, make decisions, and interact with others.?

These guiding lights influence our attitudes, behaviours, and outcomes in the workplace, but we may not even realise they are there, because they? have become the norm. This means they are operating out of our cognitive awareness.?

But understanding and embracing your values can lead to more meaningful outcomes, foster stronger relationships, and set the stage for achieving your personal and professional goals, through better decision making.

The Role of Values in Professional Settings

1. Foundational Principles: Values form the bedrock of decision-making and behaviours. They shape how we prioritise tasks, collaborate with colleagues, and navigate challenges. For instance, a person who values teamwork will naturally gravitate toward collaboration, while someone who values innovation may prioritise creative problem-solving.
2. Information Filters: In a world overflowing with data and demands, values act as filters that help us focus on what truly matters. They guide our responses to various situations, ensuring that we remain aligned with what we find meaningful and important.
3. Implicit Impact: Often, our values shape our professional outcomes without us consciously realising it. Aligned values can motivate us to excel, while misaligned ones may lead to dissatisfaction or even burnout.
4. Attitude and Opinion Shapers: Our values influence how we perceive work, colleagues, and success. They guide our approach to challenges, inform our pursuit of opportunities, and help us measure our achievements.
5. Measure of Success: Success means different things to different people, and values play a key role in shaping that definition. Whether it’s fostering teamwork, achieving personal growth, or making a meaningful impact, values determine what we consider fulfilling and rewarding.
6. Boundary Setters: Values help to establish clear boundaries for professional conduct. They encourage ethical decision-making, ensure accountability, and nurture a culture of integrity.

Understanding Your Values?

Living in alignment with your values brings greater fulfilment and helps you live life more on purpose.? When your work also resonates with your core principles, you experience greater satisfaction and motivation and things seem so much easier. Conversely, when your work diverges from your values, it can lead to frustration and a lack of fulfilment, and everything seems to take longer or feels harder.

A Simple Values Exercise

Understanding your values begins with introspection. Here’s a step-by-step guide to uncovering your professional values:

1. Capture:
2. Narrow it Down:
3. Rank Your Values:
4. Reflect:
5. Align Your Life:

Example Reflection Questions:

• How do my values influence my work relationships?
• Are my professional goals aligned with my values? If not, what needs to change?
• What adjustments do I need to make to better reflect my values in my daily actions?

Values Assessment: Where Do You Stand?

Once you’ve identified your values, review them:

• Are they positive and moving you forward? If all your top five values are supporting your goals, congratulations! You’re living in alignment with your purpose.
• Are some values holding you in place? While they may not be problematic, it’s worth assessing if they’re propelling you forward or keeping you static.
• Are none of the values supportive? It’s time to take action. Small changes can make a big difference in aligning your life with your values.

Avoid Common Pitfalls:

• Ensure that your values are genuinely yours and not influenced by external expectations or societal norms.
• Reflect deeply to avoid imposing others’ opinions on your list.
• Be mindful that values that are in service to others, are ones that you keep an eye on, as they can quickly become a problem. Ie client satisfaction might mean that you give more than you planned

Next Steps: Living in Alignment with Your Values

Understanding your values is only the beginning. The next step is to integrate them into your daily life and professional practices:

• Communicate Your Values: Share your core values with others to foster understanding and build stronger relationships. It can help when you want to make sure people are not impinging on your boundaries of time, space, money and generosity
• Evaluate Opportunities: When faced with decisions, ask yourself how each choice aligns with your values.
• Reassess Periodically: Values can evolve over time. Regularly revisit your list to ensure it still reflects what matters most to you.

A Closing Thought

Values are not just abstract concepts; they are the foundations of a fulfilling professional life. By understanding and embracing your core principles, you can navigate your world with clarity, purpose, and resilience.

If you have any questions or need guidance in uncovering your values, don’t hesitate to reach out. Schedule a free consultation to explore how aligning with your values with your vision/purpose, can transform your professional journey. ?Schedule a Call.

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My name is Kim Searle and I am all about YOU - your personal growth, your unique potential, and the life you truly want to live.

?? If You are You Ready to Transform? ?? DM me now with #transform and lets have a conversation around values. Let me help you make 2025 yours