Values...

Values are traits or qualities that are considered worthwhile; they represent your highest priorities and deeply held driving forces. When you are part of any organization, you bring your deeply held values and beliefs to the organization. There they co-mingle with those of the other members to create an organization or family culture.

Value statements are grounded in values and define how people want to behave with each other in an organization, an institution, a company, or a family. They are statements about how the organization will value customers, suppliers, and the internal community. Value statements describe actions which are the living enactment of the fundamental values held by most individuals within the organization.

The following are examples of values. You might use these as the starting point for thinking about and articulating your values as a human being.

Examples of Values

ambition, competency, individuality, equality, integrity, service, responsibility, accuracy, respect, dedication, diversity, improvement, enjoyment/fun, loyalty, credibility, honesty, innovativeness, teamwork, excellence, accountability, empowerment, quality, efficiency, dignity, collaboration, stewardship, empathy, accomplishment, courage, wisdom, independence, security, challenge, influence, learning, compassion, friendliness, discipline/order, generosity, persistence, optimism, dependability, flexibility

Why Identify and Establish Your Values?

Your values are made up of everything that has happened to you in your life and include influences from: your parents and family, your religious affiliation, your friends and peers, your education, your reading, and more. Effective people recognize these environmental influences and identify and develop a clear, concise, and meaningful set of values/beliefs, and priorities. Once defined, values impact every aspect of your life.

• You demonstrate and model your values in action in your personal and work behaviors, decision making, contribution, and interpersonal interaction.
• You use your values to make decisions about priorities in your daily work and home life.
• Your goals and life purpose are grounded in your values.

Choose the values that are most important to you, the values you believe in and that define your character. Then live them visibly every day at work and at home. Living your values is one of the most powerful tools available to you to help you be the person you want to be, to help you accomplish your goals and dreams, and to help you lead and influence others. Don't waste your best opportunity.

Why You Should Know Your Personal Values

Values, personal values, and core values all refer to the same thing. They are desirable qualities, standards, or principles. Values are a person's driving force and influence their actions and reactions.

Saying, "He's a courageous man" or "She's a generous woman" reflects a person's deepest priorities in life. A brave man speaks out, even when it's dangerous to do so. A generous woman selflessly gives money or her time to help others.

Besides bravery and generosity, other common values are acceptance, beauty, commitment, excellence, family, fun, harmony, health, leadership, love, prestige, respect, service, spirituality, and wealth.

Everyone has personal values, even if they don't realize it.

Where Your Values Come From

You inherit some of your values. You learn some values from your parents, teachers, and other influential people in your life. You also take on values from reading and watching TV and from school-of-hard-knocks experience.

Your values also reflect the values of the place where you live - your town or city, region, and country. And they reflect your generation, i.e., the group of people born around the same year as you.

Values last a lifetime. While they may undergo some change through the years, they're fairly stable.

Benefits of Knowing Your Values

Why is it important to know what your values are? Simple. So you can make better choices.

People who don't know their values tend to wander around, bouncing from one thing to another, trying to find themselves. They're like puppets, pulled along without any clear direction.

Knowing your values helps you:

• Follow a clear set of rules and guidelines for your actions. You’re less likely to take the easy way out or chase after short-term gains at the expense of your long-term goals.


• Make good decisions. You quickly know what are good choices for you and what are not.


• Find compatible people, places, and things that support your way of living.


• Live with integrity. Integrity here doesn't mean honesty or honor. Integrity means wholeness or completeness - being a whole person. Nothing left out. Being true to yourself

Learning to identify and live from your values is a key personal development strategy.

It’s also one of the best ways of managing stress. The more you live true to your values, the more fulfilled and peaceful you are.

Have a Personal Value System

A personal value system a set of principles or ideals that drive and/or guide your behavior.

Your personal value system gives you structure and purpose by helping you determine what is meaningful and important to you.

It helps you express who you are and what you stand for.

If you are unaware of, or become disconnected with your values, you end up making choices out of impulse or instant gratification rather than on solid reasoning and responsible decision making

Your values define your Character .

They impact every aspect of your life including personal and work behaviors, your interactions with family, friends and co-workers; your decision making processes and the direction you take in life. This is why it is so important to know what you value and what is important to you.

Four Categories of a Personal Value System

Personal Values - Personal values are those traits we see as worth aspiring to, and that define our character.

Spiritual Values - The values that connect us to a higher power and give us a sense of purpose beyond our material existence.

Family Values - To love and care for those we are close to; our children, our parents, other family members, and our friends.

Career Values - The best use and expression of our talents and skills for the purposes of contributing to society and for monetary compensation.

Which values do we as social beings find desirable?

No matter what tradition we are brought up in, there are characteristics we value in others which transcend social, economic and religious boundaries. Some of these characteristics are:

Integrity
Integrity is trustworthiness, honesty and uprightness of character . We value people of integrity because we know what to expect from them. We know they will act honorably and that they will do what they think is right. We want people with integrity as our friends, on our teams and in our organizations.

Respect
Respect is honoring the worth and dignity of all people. Those who respect others treat them with fairness and courtesy. They treat others the way they themselves wish to be treated.

Loyalty
Loyalty is a commitment and faithfulness to a person or cause. Those who are loyal to their family, friends, organizations and country stand behind and support them during good times and bad times. They can be counted on to be there when the going gets difficult and to help out when the chips are down.

Responsibility
Those who accept responsibility are reliable, dependable and willing to take accountability for who they are and what they do. They believe they have a moral obligation to help others and to make a contribution to the society they live in.

No matter what values we choose live by, it is vital that we look at the big picture, assess what we want our role to be, and map out how we intend to conduct our lives.