Emerging Female Leaders: Aligning with your Values is not just about Identity

As coaches, one of the basic things we learn is to recognize how a client’s question might be related to their identity. Maybe they are struggling to make a decision or they are unhappy in their work and don’t know why. An exploration of values helps the client to look beyond the practical considerations of an issue and discover what they really want. Because values form the bedrock of who we are and what is important to us.

Raising awareness of our core values goes beyond understanding our unique identity as a person. For women in leadership roles, leading in alignment with our values, creates ease and confidence in areas that can typically be challenging for us.
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​When you know your core values you can:

• Make decisions with confidence. Because when it is aligned with your values, you know the ‘why’ of it.
• Explain your position and opinions on issues. It can be helpful to express your values framed as beliefs. For example, ‘This is important to me because…..(I am a believer in innovation, I believe employee safety is our priority, I believe all voices should be heard.) Responding from the strength of our values helps us to avoid the trap of worrying about being liked.
• Evaluate professional opportunities that come your way. Something may look great on paper but if it violates one of your core values or doesn’t satisfy enough of your values, it can help you to make the decision that is best for you and defend it to others who may not understand it.
• Articulate the impact you want to have on your organization, field and society. Alignment with your values guides you in choosing your battles and determining the tradeoffs you are willing to make.
• Raise your profile to your stakeholders. It’s about enabling people to get to know you better.  Revealing your values in what you say and do offers a clear understanding of who you are and what you stand for.
• Understand sources of friction between yourself and others.  Whether it’s mild irritation or extreme clashes, accepting value differences is the gateway to better communication and collaboration. Asking yourself ‘What are the personal values that might be causing us to perceive this situation or problem differently?’ is the key to discovering better strategies for working together and motivating others.

Identifying your core values is more than a self-awareness exercise to be stored in a folder or a drawer. Keep them close to you every day as a resource and a support to lead from the most empowered version of yourself.
 
This article is part of a series highlighting one of the 8 areas of focus: ‘Aligning with my Values’, on the Female Leadership Wheel™ a unique coaching tool designed in partnership with TCOInternational to support women in their leadership development.  

Check out my previous article :  Emerging Female Leaders: Let’s talk about ‘Assertiveness’

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