Generally speaking, we know what our personal values are.

We may not have written them down, but we know that we value things like honesty, safety or communication. Why then, do we rarely ask ourselves what our professional values are? We spend a good portion of our lives working, and knowing our professional values can help us to prioritize, work more effectively, and stay engaged with our work for sustainable career fulfillment. 

What I find with my clients is that it is common for 1-3 of your top five personal and professional values to overlap. This is a positive sign that the role you’re in is a good fit for you. What’s not a great sign is when you feel that those values aren’t actually being honored or fulfilled by your managers, yourself, and your coworkers. This creates the feeling of dissonance, or internal conflict, that leads you to feel unsatisfied with your work. 

If you’re wondering what your professional values can do for you, consider the calendar exercise. I would encourage you to review your google calendar from the past week objectively. If someone that didn’t know you saw what was on your agenda, what would they think you valued? If there isn’t enough on your calendar that represents what you value, consider adding it as a means of prioritizing that work and play first. You’ll immediately start to see shifts in how you spend your time, and how easy it is to stick with the schedule when it’s value driven.

As a side note, if you struggle to connect your daily work to ANY of your values – think creatively.

How do you conduct your relationships with your coworkers? With your boss? What tasks do you prioritize? How do you share feedback? How generous are you with your insights and information?

You’ll start to see themes emerge!



I offer professional coaching for rising women leaders in the corporate world, with a focus on helping them overcome lack of confidence via professional coaching, virtual coaching, invitation only masterminds and powerful online courses. If your goals for the year include confidence in the workplace, let’s talk! I’d love to help you build an action plan for success. Click here to apply for a free coaching consultation with me directly!