A simple exercise to clarify your professional values
Values are our operating system – they reflect our individuality, guide our decision-making, and inform how we interact with others. When our life and work aligns with our values, we feel joyful, energized, and fulfilled. When they don’t align, we can feel lost, uninspired, and discontent.
When you clarify your values, you create a compass you can use to navigate the map of your life. Clear values help you make choices with intention, confidence, and purpose that align with your essence – in other words, what makes you, you! That’s why one of my favorite exercises to use with clients is the Values Clarification Exercise.
This exercise tends to be particularly useful for individuals who:
are struggling with burnout and would like a rubric for making difficult choices;
have stepped into a new role, like becoming a manager or a parent, and would like to better understand how their values have shifted or how they apply in a new context; or
are exploring what they want to do next in their career and would like to ensure that their decisions align with what they find to be most important.
How it works
To start, think of two to three peak moments in your life. What made those moments special? What was your environment like? How did you feel in those moments? What values were you honoring? Once you generate a list of values, try to clarify even further. How would you define that value? What does that word mean to you? How does it show up in your life today?
After examining the peaks, think through the valleys, or moments when you felt particularly challenged or stuck. These moments can often reveal additional values because they represent when we feel out of alignment with what matters most. What was difficult about those moments? What got in your way? What would have made the situation easier?
Once you have a list of values that resonate with you personally, the next step is to prioritize them. One way to do this is by using a worksheet like the one below. Which ones are your non-negotiables? Are there any that you would remove? What’s missing?
Next, on a scale of 1 to 10, rate how well you are honoring your values in your current situation. How are your most important values showing up at work right now? How are they not? In other areas of your life? Examine the values that received lower scores – they often signify an opportunity to create better alignment with what motivates you and brings you joy.
Adapted from Co-Active Coaching Toolkit Values Clarification Exercise, 2019, Co-Active Training Institute
Source
Kimsey-House, H., Kimsey-House, K., Sandahl, P., & Whitworth, L. (2018). Co-active coaching: The proven framework for transformative conversations at work and in life (Fourth edition). Nicholas Brealey Publishing.