There is a clarity and focus that come with knowing who you are.
Self-knowledge helps us stay true to ourselves and to our principles. It’s a prerequisite for orientating ourselves towards whatever we consider to be success or happiness.
If you were asked the following four questions what would you say?
- What do you do?
- What is your purpose?
- What are your personal values and guiding principles in life and business?
- What are your, and your organsations’, beliefs and ethics?
If you can explain these things succinctly to someone – at a networking opportunity, during an interview, to a work colleague, etc. – then you probably have a high level of clarity.
Yet, if you have to stop and think, and cannot spontaneously explain these things; ask yourself the following. Why would somebody have confidence in me, buy from me, buy into me, follow my leadership or be inspired by me?
In times when many people are differentiating the professionals with whom they engage they are often making judgements based upon values and cultural fit.
The services, products an organisation offers, peoples’ knowledge and skills are often not unique. Whilst it’s essential to have appropriate services and personal qualities – they are increasingly not USPs nor factors that determine how key relationships are formed.
We all know how important the compatibility of values are in forming long-term happy relationships:
- Think about how we chose the person they marry or form close, life-long friendships with. Are their values likely to be aligned with yours?
- Scan social media to see how much weight many people place on values and ethics when considering whether to engage or disengage with companies that do or don’t reflect their own position.
People want to be dealing with people who are consciously and actively acting in ways that reflect or are aligned to their own values. After all, isn’t that a great way to form a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership? It’s values, beliefs and principles which often determine who we align ourselves with. And we need to be able to communicate these clearly to others; through our words and our deeds.
Here are some points you may want to consider when you’re formulating the answers to the four questions above:
- Be consistent and be true to yourself
- Don’t just follow the herd; be you. Even if that is ‘different’
- Think about how you want to be treated and use that as a guiding principle
- Think about how you leave people feeling after they’ve been in your company
- Critique without being critical
- Living in accordance with your principles means being happy when you look in the mirror each morning
- Your goals and your purpose will act as your GPS which moves you forward in the direction you have chosen – towards success and happiness
- Your values are your moral compass
- How aligned are you ethics, values and goals with those of your organisation?
By thinking about these issues you can re-focus on what’s important to you and your organisation, and decide who you want to engage with.
Articulating your responses to the four questions will allow you to create the right impressions.
Commit your thoughts to paper – they then become more tangible. You can revisit them periodically.
When you know the answers to the question ‘Who are you?’ you can align yourself with like minded others and take confident steps forward. I’d love to know how you got on with exercise. Please connect (see right) and let me know.
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