[My Wednesday blogpost series is connected to my 2020 4Q program in which I share my personal responses to the questions raised in the worksheets.]
Values are the non-negotiable priorities that define your character, guide your behaviors, and inform your decisions. You should have less than five and rank-order them based on importance. If you don’t prioritize your values, what happens when they conflict with each other? For example, two on my list of values are “love” and “simplicity.” “Simplicity” is ranked lower than “Love” however, since I will never compromise a relationship by staying true to my value of simplicity. For most anniversaries I may go with a dozen roses and a date with my wife, but for the bigger ones, I throw simplicity out the window and plan special trips with Amy that cost more in both time and money. Why? Because “love” is ranked higher than “simplicity.” Your personal values describe who you really are, qualifying you as someone worth following, OR NOT.
Each value should also include defining statements—“I know I am living by this (value) when I….” To simply have a list of values is not good enough. Have several subpoints for each one that fleshes out the value in real practical ways.
Rank order your top values (no more than 3-5) along with some clarifying statements (see lukek.me/vw
for values worksheet): (My personal values are GOD-CENTEREDNESS, LOVE, LEADERSHIP, and SIMPLICITY—in that ranked order. Although I have 8-13 sub-points for each one, I’m sharing only three per value.)
I know I am demonstrating GOD-CENTEREDNESS
when I…
- Spend time daily in worship—pursuing a relationship with God.
- Proactively worship God in every situation, whether trial or joy.
- Live my life with integrity, passion, and joy.
I know I am demonstrating LOVE
when I…
- Value diversity; accepting others who have differing ideas and opinions, agreeing to disagree agreeably.
- Prioritize time with loved ones; maximizing those times as investment opportunities for releasing significant future potential.
- Willingly break from my schedule to meet the pertinent needs of others.
I know I am demonstrating LEADERSHIP
when I…
- Reach for excellence in my core competencies, developing my abilities for God’s greatest glory.
- Wisely manage my time, maintaining both efficiency and effectiveness.
- Maintain a positive attitude and consistently encourage others.
I know I am demonstrating SIMPLICITY
when I…
- Take time to observe beauty and enjoy the simple things in life.
- Communicate to be effective, avoiding opportunities to impress.
- Wisely invest in essential resources and technology to meet present needs.
Now it’s your turn. How would you describe your values? Go ahead, write something down…you are a serving leader!
[Click here
for a free online course I’ve put together that will walk you through the steps of creating a Purpose Statement with much greater detail.]
