Core values are governed by a value framework, which we conceive as a cosmos or network of interconnected meanings. They can change through development.
At certain points in your professional career or personal life, it can be helpful to be aware of your core values. These values should guide your behaviour when making important decisions and at work. The values that are significant to you in life can be used to help you set personal and professional goals. It can also help you find organisations and jobs that align with your values.
Most of us, if not all of us, have been in a position where we had to decide between speaking up and keeping quiet; while having significant objections to the majority opinion.
As a result, we might have felt bad for not speaking up. When selecting what to do, we usually have to choose between what is morally correct and what is practical. This demonstrates that, given certain circumstances, you did not act by your core values.
So, what are these core values?
Let’s look at core values, how to recognise them, and how you might use them in the workplace or personal life.
What are the Core Values?
Beliefs, ideas, or practices that you hold dear are a set of core values. It directs your behaviour in both your personal and professional life. Businesses can create and uphold fundamental concepts. Core values can help a business decide how to allocate resources, make important decisions, and grow.
Under 10 distinct themes are frequently prioritised by individuals and organisations as their core values. Honesty, respect, and humility can be used to lead interpersonal interactions. Ingenuity, innovation, and data-driven decision-making can be used to focus an individual’s or organization’s work. They can also be used to govern one’s commitments (consistency, quality, reliability).
Knowing your core values can help you navigate decisions and conflicts by giving you structure and direction. For instance, if honesty is one of your core values; you would take it into account while deciding whether or not to keep a particular type of material a secret.
Values’ Characteristics
According to Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Values, there is a close connection between effect and values. Values become emotionally soaked once they are activated. Since they surpass particular situations and behaviours; they set themselves apart from attitudes and norms. They talk about desirable, motivating goals.
Personal Core values
Core values serve as criteria or standards for choosing or evaluating people, actions, or events. Depending on how our decisions might impact our values; we form judgments of what is and isn’t justified. Sometimes we unintentionally act in this way. We occasionally become aware of their values; when the choice or course of action we are considering has questionable implications for their strongly held values. Values are rated based on how interconnected and significant they are.
To identify our core values, we ask ourselves questions like “what goals do I want to achieve?” or “what makes me happy?” We identify the fundamental values that are most important to us by scoring the responses.
Core values of the company
Personal values and organisational or corporate values are similar. They serve as guidelines for speech and behaviour as well as identification markers. Corporation values are pre-determined, however, our values must be discovered, which is the difference between the two. The organization’s basic values serve as the foundation for all organisational activities. It includes goal-achieving strategies and member relationships. They serve as the foundation for how people approach their work.
How do I identify my fundamental principles?
If you’re unsure of what your core values are; it could be helpful to take some time to reflect on what matters to you. It may take multiple moments of reflection over time. But being patient and paying attention to what motivates and directs your thoughts and actions; can enable you to identify your core beliefs.
Consider your answers to the following inquiries to get a feel of what your core values may be:
- Which society do you want to work in?
- What tools, settings, or circumstances are necessary for you to produce your best work?
- What qualities, in your opinion, characterise a solid, long-lasting relationship?
You can choose which significant values to emphasise in your job hunt, at work, and in your personal life; by considering these and other issues. You can use them as a guide while you work to accomplish your goals and advance your career. What qualities of your role models most appeal to you?
To find your “true north,” try the CORE value exercise:
- Contemplation
Locate a quiet area where you can think clearly, like a park or a meditation space. Turn off your phone and have a notebook if you need to focus. Whatever comes to mind when you ask yourself, “What do I value most in life?” write it down. Start with that.
- Openness
On the page after this, write in your journal or briefly reflect on the topic of honesty. When do you feel the most like yourself? Do specific individuals or activities cause you to feel this way? Think about the moments when you feel truly. What feelings make you compromise or act differently depending on the circumstance? Be honest with yourself and examine the root causes of that ego. Adopting who you truly are is a powerful example of your fundamental ideals.
- Excitement
Think about what drives you to go quickly. Are you motivated by the hope of earning enough money to help your parents buy a retirement residence? Or is the thought of as many people as possible profiting from your work what motivates you more? The force that drives you ahead can be discovered through expressing your inner drive. What’s more important: cash, celebrity, safety, impact, charity, or something else entirely?
- Respect
Consider the persons in the world that you respect and value the most. It could be a parent, an author, or a prominent figure in society. Name the names of the three people you regard most highly. Next, put words next to their names that describe why you admire them. For instance, one reason you might hold Denzel Washington in high respect is. Because he maintains his modesty in the face of prosperity and gives back to his community. These are significant signs that you value modesty and generosity.
Once you’ve completed this, use a marker to circle the top five fundamental concepts that most closely reflect your personality. Consider your interpretation of these principles. Create a reminder card for your wallet, a phone background, or any prominent location to guide you through challenging decisions.
Personal Core values Example
Some of your values may have come to you naturally, while others may have been taught to you by your family. Your principles become more obvious when you meet someone who was raised very differently from you.
For instance, a person who was raised to value family traditions might always eat dinner at the table. A family that prioritises entertainment and sports; on the other hand, might decide to eat dinner on the couch every night and on special occasions. Similarly to this, a person who was raised to value charity may donate any extra money to a worthwhile cause. A person who values independence from the government and economy may think that: holding onto their extra money is the best course of action.
In contrast to someone who appreciates their beauty, and who will spend their money on clothing or makeup, someone who values their health may set aside more money for fresh foods and supplements. You get the idea.
To understand someone’s fundamental principles, you can also look at their significant life decisions. People who value freedom and adventure, for instance, are more likely to spend a lot of time and money travelling. Instead of getting married, starting a family, or purchasing a home; they can decide to live as a digital freelancer employee travelling the world.
Someone who values consistency, security, and routine highly will create their life differently. They could want to settle down, get married, and live in a respectable neighbourhood while holding down a paying position. While they might go on vacation. They are less likely to make impulsive or unreasonable travel plans like the one in the example above. Ultimately, everything comes down to what individuals value most in life. These examples are in no way accurate or wrong. Instead, they demonstrate how different values affect people’s day-to-day decisions. Each person will follow a different path depending on their basic principles.
Advantages of Core Values Identification
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Reduction of tension
Our interactions can be both enjoyable and demanding. There are some things we can control, even though some things seem to be rather unavoidable. By knowing one’s values; one can deliberately avoid circumstances that don’t suit them and select for solutions that meet their needs. This can take place, among other things, when we choose our friends or our careers. Making selections that consistently reflect who we are as people; will help us avoid the disaster that comes from making bad choices. In the end, this will shield one from the anxiety associated with making bad decisions.
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Self-awareness
A large section of the populace struggles with a weak sense of self. This primarily results in conforming to ideas that we are conscious are at odds with our values. As a result, the majority of people lack the self-assurance needed to succeed in life. However, the capacity to understand one’s core values governs how one interacts with the outer world. As a result, it assists one in connecting with their identity. From that, they can draw guidance on how to seek success, fulfilment, and their life’s purpose. Similar to this, one will be able to identify the world’s systems that are best suited for their route.
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Deciding on priorities
Even if the expected results shift from one situation to the next, the environment will alter. In each of the scenarios, we will make a different choice based on a variety of contextual factors. To do this, one needs to understand our values. This is because, when we are conscious of our principles, we know when to make sacrifices and when not to. As we get to know ourselves better, we frequently rebel against or re-organise some of these principles; even though we do get the majority of our values from outside factors like family, culture, and religion. So, one way to create priorities is to intentionally decide what is important in your life.
The Importance of Core Values in Each of Our Individual Lives
Core values influence behaviour and beliefs. Some examples of essential values include dependability, consistency, loyalty, honesty, devotion, consistency, and efficiency. People in happy relationships usually claim that their partners share their values. They frequently talk about the guiding concepts that govern their lives. Positive fundamental values include the notion that family is significant; that trust must be earned, and that being honest is the best policy. Another reason why core values are important is? Because parents use them as a guide for how to raise happy and successful children.
We could only have good fundamentals if we lived in a perfect society. However, occasionally they also include values like avarice and self-interest. When people must battle to survive or when they feel insecure or afraid, negative values start to form.
Influence of values on behaviour
As established thus far, our actions are motivated by our objectives. Using the same logic, one may claim that our values have an impact on our intentions and motivations. Which appointment did you choose to cancel when a family and work appointment clashed? Such a decision effectively illustrates your moral principles. The majority of what makes up life are situations like these; when a choice is followed by a tradeoff and the context is determined by a lot of factors.
The fact that you previously chose between a job and family does not guarantee; that you will always favour one over the other when given the same option. This is because other variables at play affect our judgement as we consider alternatives or conflicting interests. A different example would be choosing a career. You could argue that we made our decision based on what made us feel most comfortable.
The importance of core values in the corporate world
Core values enhance decision-making. If maintaining quality is a company’s top priority, it will eliminate any substandard goods. The company’s core principles aid in defining the company’s personality for both current and prospective customers and clients. They form presumptions about how encounters in the future will go. By upholding a set of wholesome principles, a business might gain a competitive edge. Core values are becoming essential retention and recruitment tactics. People seeking employment will apply for jobs at companies that share their values. Using its fundamental values, a corporation can distinguish its identity in specific ways.
A company is more competitive in the market and as an employer; when both customers and employees are aware of the values it upholds. It is based on guiding principles. Core values have an impact on behaviour as well. The defined and supported organisational values motivate employees to go above and beyond the call of duty. Therefore, criticising an employee involves upholding the principles. Businesses that manage, recruit, and hold workers accountable can maintain performance; even when the company’s leadership, staff, or external circumstances change.
Core Values FAQs
Que: Why is it crucial to have Core values?
- Your core values shape who you are and how you make decisions. They help you determine the things, people, goals, and decisions that most accurately represent your true self. You can avoid failing yourself in the search for temporary or meaningless distractions; by being aware of your guiding values. Your values, which also act as a trustworthy inner voice for decision-making, provide a solid foundation for your opinions.
Que: Can core values be changed?
- Although your guiding beliefs are what define you, that doesn’t mean they can never be changed. A significant personal transformation or upsetting life events may require re-evaluating your underlying values. However, changing those values might need in-depth reflection, personal growth, and consistent practice to break undesirable behaviours.
Que: Can a core value have a bad side?
- Some people hold strong misconceptions about both who they are and how others are. For example, they can have the fundamental belief that “I am not good enough,” “the world is scary,” or “all men/women are terrible.” Additionally, they might hold unfavourable values that make them believe that lying, cheating, or stealing are acceptable behaviours. If these ideals become deeply embedded in a person’s head; they may lead to a variety of problems in their daily lives. However, by focusing on your personal growth and re-organising your priorities in life; you may change your values to better reflect the finest version of yourself.
Key Points
Your compass in life is determined by your core values
Your general life plan could become altered at times by temptations or other diversions. It can be likened to flying over a rough, dark sea without clear values. You have no moral conscience to make your claim on when deciding; what to do with your relationships, career, and life goals. Understanding your core values will aid you in handling complex situations. Putting your values into words may help you become even more clear as you move forward; even if you probably already know what they are in your heart.
Use the CORE value exercise to identify your “true north”:
- Contemplation
Look for a peaceful area to consider your life’s priorities. Write down your thoughts in a journal or your head.
- Openness
When do you feel most competent to communicate who you are? What people or situations make you feel like you’re living? Or, at what point do you feel worn out?
- Respect
Think about who and why you admire the most. You can use this to discover any values that you could have with role models.
- Excitement
Think about your main sources of inspiration. What pushes you to do better? Is it a combination of influence, fame, fortune, generosity, and family?
After the exercise, list your top three core principles. Consider these principles as you go about your life. Keep a record of the instances in which you act morally and the instances in which you don’t.
Making Decisions Using Your Core Values
Knowing your underlying ideas and the order of importance of those values might help you make difficult decisions. To begin, rank your values in the manner described above. After that, see yourself making a choice and leading that life in a few months or years.
What impact will a family or a new business have on your life, for example?
Imagine as much of this future as you can. Make it come to life in your mind. Continue visualising the goal while assessing your values. Does a decision boost your values score? Does that go against one of your core beliefs?
Final Words
The goal of this post is to equip readers with information and motivation. It is to make them aware of their core values to start their journey toward self-awareness and self-actualization. We must firmly advise you, nevertheless, that coming to terms with who you are is a gradual and ever-evolving process. To gradually realise your full potential and lead a richer life; we advise you to be patient with yourself and keep moving forward. Just like a business must have core values and professions must have a code of conduct; you must decide what your values are and live by them.
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