Those of you who know me know that I am on a personal mission for every individual to have awareness of their top 5-10 values. They define the undercurrent on which you make all decisions in your life. Without awareness of values, you live your life rudderless.

 

You can also think about your values as they apply to work, specifically. These are a subset of your overall values that define what you need most in your work or workplace to feel happy and fulfilled. They include values such as variety of task, recognition, structure and stability, opportunities for advancement, and transparent communication—to name a few.

 

We have created a Work Values Inventory that you can use to identify what’s most important to you. You begin by rating each value and then rank order them to identify your most important values. Then, as a last step, write down your definition for your top 5 values. For example, what does ‘variety of task’ look like for you? 

 

If you lead others, you can also use this tool with your team. Once you have an understanding of each person’s priorities, you can more easily create a productive and joyful work environment. The values inventories are your guide.