Page 47 - Free Yourself From

30 It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor

Exercise: Assessing Your Values

Step 1: Think back over several instances when you were at your
best, highly fulfilled, and focused. Jot down what worked for
you: the people you worked with, the goal you had to achieve, or
the environment where you worked.

Step 2: Look for the themes or patterns common to these events or
experiences. Consider what values they reflect, such as accom-
plishment orientation, risktaking, independence, creativity, and so
on.
Step 3: Next, think of events or experiences that were unsatisfying
and did not contribute to your growth. Again, after you have
identified a few, look for the themes and patterns here. Why
were you dissatisfied? What made you angry? Maybe you had no
authority, there were constantly shifting priorities, there wasn’t
great teamwork, or you lacked a common purpose with your
colleagues.

Step 4: Next, make a list of the values you took from the first part
of the exercise and prioritize them based on where you are now,
(their rankings will change from time to time).

Step 5: Finally, don’t just identify your values for yourself, share them
with others when discussing career options, work concerns, or
ethical dilemmas.

Your highest values might include having strong relationships
with others, seeing your family happy and fulfilled, or having auton-
omy or flexibility in your work. Regardless of what they are, keep in
mind that it’s less important to consider your top 20 values than the