What values impact your decision-making and affect your behavior?

Do you know what your core values are? Recently during a conversation with a student, whom I mentor, I asked her that question. The student gave me a puzzled look, so I asked her again.

[callout]This post is part of a series based on the book Today Matters: 12 daily practices to guarantee success by Dr. John C. Maxwell.[/callout]

The student was in my office because she chose to defend her friend, who started an argument with another group of students. As a result of her choice, my mentee was facing disciplinary consequences. As she sat in my office, I waited for the student to answer my question.

Next, we discussed how our values influence our behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines in all situations. Once she understood my question, we talked about her values. She explained her family, reputation and friends were essential to her.

Based on her responses, I shifted the conversation to how her values shape her decision. I explained how her loyalty to her friends was placing her academic future in jeopardy. The student is a bright young lady; however, her choices were adversely affecting her success.

What are your core values? Her response was quite interesting. She said, “what do you mean?” So, we spent the next 30 minutes discussing values. First, we reviewed the definition of values. According to Business Dictionary, values are lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable.

As we wrapped up our conversation, I asked my mentee if her friend’s values were in alignment with hers. Of course, her answer was a resounding yes! So, I asked her why was she sitting in class, while she was sitting in my office facing disciplinary consequences?

My mentee just sat there looking at me. Before my mentee left my office, I asked her my last question. So, what was the question? I asked her why she was giving away her power to someone who didn’t share her values?

 Back of every life there are principles that have fashioned it.”

George H. Lorimer

Our values serve as a guidepost for our decisions. As a leader, your values shape how you hire people, your daily behavior, the culture of your organization and your daily decisions.

Our values matter! What happens when your values do not align with your organization? Stress and struggle! Dr. Michael Woodward said, “A clear set of values is critical in developing the lens through which you view the world and the compass that will keep you aligned with that view.”

What values impact your decision-making and affect your behavior?

Your leadership guide,

Kim

Dr. Kim Moore | Your Leadership Guide | kimdmoore.com

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About the author

I'm Kim, your Educational Leadership Guide. I equip educational leaders with research-based and experientially learned educational leadership principles and best practices to promote student success.


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