Clarity around our core values can help us navigate uncertainty and bounce back more quickly from setbacks.
When we better understand what truly matters to us, we’re better equipped to make decisions, set boundaries, and stay grounded —even when the world around us is swirling.
The opposite is also true.
When our personal values clash with the values of our organization, team, or leader, it becomes harder to navigate complexity or change and show up authentically. This tension can chip away at our sense of purpose and agency, and make everyday challenges feel heavier than they should.
In her book Values First, executive coach and former Chief Learning Officer Laura Eigel makes the case that alignment between our work and our values is essential for professional fulfillment and strong performance. She says getting crystal clear on our core values can help us set boundaries, choose what feedback to act on, and use our voice.
But despite how important they are, many folks have only a vague sense of their core values. In my coaching practice, I often see two patterns among people who are struggling at work or are dangerously close to burnout:
- They haven’t spent significant time thinking about, identifying, or articulating their core values, or
- Their environment (organizational culture, use of time, team’s approach, leader’s approach) is in direct conflict with their personal value system
Leadership experts and researchers Brené Brown and Adam Grant dive deeper into this topic in their Strong Ground podcast series. And while the pros may differ slightly on the number of values leaders should identify, (Brown says one or two, Grant initially surfaced three, and Eigel suggests up to seven), they all agree: Getting clear on your core values is an important exercise.
Grant also surfaces a tough truth: many people struggle in roles that conflict with their values. “There’s the…issue that many people are in jobs that stifle their values and might be incompatible with what they stand for in their personal lives, but they can’t get out,” he says. “So, they feel trapped and unable to build a bridge between ‘who I am’ and ‘who I’m required to be’ in order to get a paycheck.”
(With my coaching clients, I’ve seen this gap show up first as frustration or discomfort. If the conflicts aren’t addressed over time, they often risk sliding into full burnout.)
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Brown shares that when she’s out of alignment with her values, her discomfort shows up as resentment and fear-based behavior. But when she is aligned, she feels grounded—even in discomfort. (Note: courage and emotional regulation are key components of resilience.)
In Brown’s own wise words: “The discipline for me is the ‘me’ right now choosing courage or faith and discomfort as a commitment to the ‘me’ in an hour — who will feel content and whole. I don’t live in discomfort, but I’m willing to be in it to do what I think is the right thing.”
Why this is important: If you’re feeling frustrated or resentful at work and can’t quite pinpoint why, take some time to understand and articulate your core values. Notice where things align, and where conflicts arise. Leaning into values-aligned work can strengthen your resilience.
If you lead others and see signs of team member burnout, consider having individual or team values conversations. Understanding what matters most to your team members and identifying common ground can be helpful. These conversations can sometimes be difficult, but they can also surface hidden tensions and help everyone operate with more clarity and connection.
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While I’m no resilience expert (yet!), I’m committed to showing up and sharing what I’m learning from the experts to help – whether you’re working on your own resilience, or you’re being asked to help your loved ones, your teams or your organizations get better and faster at bouncing back, adapting, and growing. Stay tuned to the CommsLede blog for more…
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed therapist or resilience expert…just a voracious reader, leader, certified coach, and communications pro who is intensely curious about resilience and burnout and how it’s playing out in our workplaces and lives today. If you’re struggling with your mental health, please seek out a qualified professional. ❤️
