Deepening Understanding of Our Core Values
The ROI Perspective on Core Values
Understanding our core values is essential for living and working with others authentically, making informed decisions, building meaningful relationships, and fostering personal well-being. When we are clear on our core values, it provides us a foundation for living our purpose in accordance with what truly matters to us.
Taking time to evaluate our values and identify those core for us enables us to align our work with our values. Knowing and honoring our core values enhances our resilience in challenging times and ensures that we are building spaces in our community where we, as individuals, can thrive and relationships can be nurtured and sustained.
Core Values Exercise
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The Purpose:
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Materials Needed:
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Background:
This exercise is adapted from an exercise designed by the Center for Ethical Leadership to help individuals and groups clarify their core values. The Center defines ethical leadership as knowing your core values and having the courage to act on them for the common good.
The Core Values Exercise is challenging and will be more meaningful if you do it alone. You will highlight the values most important to you by narrowing from a provided list. You will remove some from the list, and you may add a value that is missing for you. Narrowing the list does not mean you are throwing values aside. The values that you have identified as important will always be important. Still, the narrowing process helps to determine your most essential values. It is important to take the time needed to make their selections. The narrowing process typically takes about five to ten minutes.
This exercise is adapted from an exercise designed by the Center for Ethical Leadership to help individuals and groups clarify their core values. The Center defines ethical leadership as knowing your core values and having the courage to act on them for the common good.
The Core Values Exercise is challenging and will be more meaningful if you do it alone. You will highlight the values most important to you by narrowing from a provided list. You will remove some from the list, and you may add a value that is missing for you. Narrowing the list does not mean you are throwing values aside. The values that you have identified as important will always be important. Still, the narrowing process helps to determine your most essential values. It is important to take the time needed to make their selections. The narrowing process typically takes about five to ten minutes.
STEP BY STEP EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS
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1. Review the values on the list provided below. |
Click On List to Download (optional)
2. Note all of the value words that are important to you, including any words that you would like to add.
Write them on a separate piece of paper or star them on the page that you download.
Write them on a separate piece of paper or star them on the page that you download.
This is your personal set of values.
3. Narrow the group of values that you have selected
to your top eight (8) values.
Cross off the less important values or circle the more important values.
to your top eight (8) values.
Cross off the less important values or circle the more important values.
Take two to three minutes to do this.
Pay attention to your inner dialogue as you make choices.
Your process will reveal interesting truths about yourself.
Pay attention to your inner dialogue as you make choices.
Your process will reveal interesting truths about yourself.
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4. Now narrow the list to five (5), using the same process as used in step 3.
Take your time to consider your top 5 values. |
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5. Now narrow the list to three (3). |
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6. And Finally... Choose your Top Two (2) Core Values. |
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You have now discovered your personal core values |
Making Sense of This Process
You have just discovered, or re-discovered, your core values. Here are some points to consider as you make meaning of your values:
- The two value words you have chosen are packed with meaning. You likely went through a process of “bundling,” embedding one value in another, and counting two or more values as one. For example, patience and respect could be part of understanding. Bundling is not cheating - it is a natural process. That is why you have not set any values aside. You have clarified what you mean by these words.
- Why choose two values? While limiting us to two core values is somewhat arbitrary, it is easier for us to remember a smaller number. Because we go through the bundling process, the two we choose represent a more extensive set of our values. We can think of it as carrying our values with us each day.
- Your core values can help guide your decisions and actions, help you set personal and professional priorities, and help you navigate life challenges. Knowing our core values helps us find common ground with someone we may disagree with or when we are in spaces of conflict. Learning and integrating our core values into our daily lives promotes our personal growth and well-being.
Thank you for going through this exercise.
We hope that it has been a useful for you and that you will continue to reflect on those values that are most important to you.
We hope that it has been a useful for you and that you will continue to reflect on those values that are most important to you.