Values have been a repeated theme in our LOSW Newsletters. When clearly defined, our values (as a Firm) guide our intentions, words, thoughts, and behaviors. What about your own personal values? Consciously or unconsciously, your actions and behaviors are guided by your own personal values. Operating within our own values feels right and allows us to live and work with integrity.
First, I’d like to invite you to do an exercise in discovering your own core values. Attached to this Newsletter email is a PDF document titled, “LOSW List of Values.” The challenge is to choose two values from that list that inform ALL of your decisions. It’s a lot harder than it sounds.
Print the document and look over the list of values. Start by highlighting only the highest values you hold. Most people have anywhere from 10-15 highlighted at this point. After you’ve completed this first step, start thinking about which two (only two!) are your two highest values. These are the values that you filter every decision and action.
Next, think about someone in your life that you communicate with often. Knowing the values of a counterpart, partner, friend or colleague helps you to navigate around and improve communication with them. Think about who would benefit from knowing your top two values and think about sharing it with them. The words alone may have little impact. Consider sharing what it is about you and your life experiences that have come to form those two values. I believe you’ll find it to be a powerful and beneficial exercise for you and those you interact with.
If you don’t know my values, you don’t know me.
“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” ~ Roy Disney
