Last week in our Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach Certification class, we were talking about how to help clients and direct reports clarify their values and start drafting their personal mission statements.

Trying on Values

One thing I love about this class is the varied background of the participants. Some are consultants, others are leaders of organizations, some teach in college. The variety of life experiences helps us make the lessons so much richer!

While talking about finding our core values, the idea of “trying on” values came up. At certain stages of life and at certain points in our growth, we each try on different values to see if they fit. Just like adolescents figuring out what parts of them they want to keep moving forward and what parts were more about their parents, those we coach may be in a time of testing the waters of some of their values.

As coaches and people who using coaching in their leadership, we can have a more intentional awareness to this. Not to “call out” people on trying to live out newer values. Coaching is much more affirming than that. But we get to agree with our clients as we see them living out the value. Or we can offer a different perspective if our clients are finding the value isn’t a good fit.

For example, the other person may say they value timeliness. But despite focused effort and practical strategies, they may still be arriving to meetings late. Perhaps they don’t really value being on time. As coaches, we can help them get clearer on what they really do value.

Discovering Values and Mission

We also talked about how often our values aren’t so much chosen as they are “discovered.” As coaches, we get to help people pause, and take a look backwards. In those moments, they get to find out things that are true about themselves that they may not have been consciously aware of. More often than not, the clarity in seeing a value they’ve lived by has a centering affect. Helping them realize what factors are influencing their choices.

It’s like finding out you really have been operating with an internal compass all along. Only now you know what it looks like.

The clarity that comes from seeing values that have actual lived experience can be transformative. Some clients are energized; others are inspired. Some take the added step of using the values as a launching point for writing their personal mission statement. The reason they think they’re here on the planet. The contribution they want their life to make.

Personal Mission Statements Come in Many Forms

As we were talking about helping others with personal mission statements, there was so much creativity! Some of the ways people in the class had written their personal mission or helped others write it were:

• Listing their values and adding a bit about what each means to them.
• Listing out their roles and writing about how each role impacted who they were.
• Answering four or five questions that were offered as prompts.
• Distilling their writing into haiku form.
• And even summing up their mission in seven words!

I’m sure there are even pictures, paintings, songs, and many more ways people express their personal mission. All of us left this session with a broader awareness of the ways we can help those we work with get a clearer vision for their life.

The power of helping people discover their core values and draft their personal mission is that you’re actually helping people discover their internal compass. A compass that will always be with them. A compass that can help them more confidently navigate stormy times. And more fully enjoy peaceful times.

You can Help People Discover Their Compass Too!

This was only one of ten sessions in the Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach Certification class. If coach certification has been something on your “I should probably do this” list, our next class will be starting in January. To be notified of when enrollment opens in December, join the waitlist at: concordleadershipgroup.com/coaching-certification

This is also a great continuing education program if you’re a leader or manager who wants to add coaching skills to your work with your team. Can you imagine how much more fulfilling your one-on-one meetings would be if you had a sense for what your direct reports want from their work? If this sounds like a piece you’re missing, join the email waitlist to be notified when enrollment in the next session opens up. Just go to: concordleadershipgroup.com/coaching-certification