Career Sweet Spot Part 1: Find Your Values

Career Sweet Spot Part 1: Find Your Values

Career Sweet Spot Part 1: Find Your Values

How would you like to wake up every day and really look forward to going to work?

It’s possible, especially when you focus on three deceptively simple foundation stones; they are Your Purpose; Your Values; and Your Strengths.

I recently coached a professional ‘Kale’ who has not been happy at work for the last 15 years. The role Kale felt most at home in, he had held for 7 continuous and happy years.

So when we started working on his strengths, values, and purpose, tears welled up in his eyes when he re-connected with what was important to him. He was no longer in his head alone, but he was connected much more to his heart and spirit.

Would you like to experience the same deep emotional connection Kale felt when he re-connected to what was important to him?

Let me take you through the process I have taken Kale through:

  1. Find your Values; what is important to you.
  2. Find your Strengths; what you are naturally good at.
  3. Find your Why; what is your purpose.

Venn diagram_Career Sweet Spot Part 1: Find Your Values | CareerSupport365

Choose your values:

  1. Print out a full list of Steve Pavlina’s list of over 400 values.
  2. Circle each value that means something to you. There might be significant overlap as Pavlina uses a number of synonyms in the list.
  3. At your first attempt, you will probably have a long list of about 30 – 40 values.
  4. Try narrowing that list down to a much more manageable 7 – 10.

Define each of your values:

Once you have your shortlist of 7 – 10 values, write down your definition of each of your 7 or so values.

For example, the value of ‘Giving’ means different things to different people. One person might think that Giving means the act of providing charity to worthy causes or the needy; whereas another might define Giving as being supportive, devoted or kindly.

The main point is to define whatever your value means to you!

Describe behaviours that express each of your values:

Having defined each of your values, the next step is to then come up with at least one behaviour that helps make it clear to you when each value is being expressed.

In the case of Giving, it may be that you describe Giving as follows:

Giving is shown/expressed when people are generous with their time to the service of others. For example when a team member is struggling to understand an issue; or when they are unable to deliver when deadlines are unreasonable, then that person’s Leader/Manager can come in and directly help that person, or encourage others to support that person so they can deliver.

Again, whatever works for you in the expression of the value, describe it.

Describe behaviours that hinder the expression of that value:

Having worked out what it looks like to you when the value is expressed, it also serves to come up with examples when the value is hindered or expressed in its opposite.

In the case of Giving, it could be that Giving is hindered when people work in silos, or on their own and are purely focussed on individual achievement and for seeking the limelight for other’s achievements.

Consider questions to ask at interview that helps you understand how well your prospective employer expresses their values and how that aligns with yours.

One of my Values is Growth. What I mean by Growth is personal growth. So I want to come up with a series of questions that relate to the extent I will have intellectual stimulation; realistic challenges; work in a positive culture for experimentation; potential to get out of my comfort zone, albeit with support; and so on.

In Summary

Values are the first step in getting to the sweet spot of your career move. Once you are clearer on your own values then you are able to make a more informed decision on the likelihood of an overlap or mismatch with an employer.

The next step is to work on your strengths.

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About the author:/…/career-sweet-spot-part-2-find-your-strengths

Greg Weiss is the Founder of CareerSupport365. He has almost 30 years success in HR and in career coaching people.

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