Why Values Are Central to Career Decisions

Values help us discern a meaningful career path.

In my coaching practice, I sometimes hear clients describe their desired career path. Often, this path is littered with titles. For instance, a faculty member might say they want to progress up through the tenure-track faculty ranks to full professor and onto department chair, dean, provost, and president. Staff may describe the career ladder as going from a student services team member to manager, director, dean or vice president of students, and president. There’s nothing wrong with having titles in mind but focusing solely on titles can lead to missed opportunities, at best, and bitterness and resentment, at worst. So, when a client begins with titles, I often suggest we back up and focus on the kind of impact they’d like to have in their career. We start with values.

Values point to what’s important in life. Many of us working in higher education probably share some core values. For instance, we may collectively value the power of education to unlock opportunities for students to contribute to the common good. But each of us values something specific about the kind of impact we would like to have within this broader mission. Because of time pressures and lack of modeling by other leaders, many of us do not put the effort into digging deep into our values. However, as I write In my book “Leading Toward Liberation,” values work is a foundational practice to leading with liberation in mind. When we get clear on our values, we can choose a leadership career path that is aimed at freeing up the system so that everyone can thrive and we are most likely to make career decisions that are meaningful and fulfilling.

How To Clarify Your Values

One way to get clear on your values is to reflect upon and journal your answers to the following questions:

If you were to reflect on your current role, what about your work is most meaningful to you? What gives you the energy to keep going even when things are tough? What have you accomplished in this role? What are you most proud of? What do you still want to accomplish before you move on? Why are these goals important to you?

In addition to self-reflection, trusted confidants who have seen you in action can also be resources as they have observed you in action. You might ask them: “In your opinion, what do I appear to value most at work or in my life?” Religious or spiritual directors, counselors and therapists, and executive coaches can also assist in clarifying values because they are trained listeners who know how to ask the questions that get to the heart of the matter.

Once you begin to articulate your values, put that knowledge to work. Notice the extent to which you are able to live out your values in your current role. Consider if there are things you need to start doing, stop doing, or continue to do so that your actions are aligned with these values. Fair warning: This step requires humility and honesty with oneself as well as a healthy dose of non-judgment when we notice that we are not living our values to the extent that we would like. You may realize that re-committing to your current role is a viable option for now. You might also realize that it’s time to seek different opportunities for better values alignment, including requesting shifts in your role or seeking a new opportunity or title.

Identifying What’s Next

Whether you are seeking additional opportunities “in place” or launching a job search, reflecting on your desired future can point you in the right direction. Consider these additional values-driven career questions:

When you think about your future, what kind of impact would you like to have? What are you hoping to accomplish as you move along your chosen career path? Who can you connect with to learn more about the possible next steps so you don’t prematurely close the door on opportunities that might be a good fit?

This last question is an important one because the same title across institutions, let alone within the same institution, may require wildly different skill sets. In addition, roles that appear to have similar portfolios may or may not allow you to live out your values because of the culture of the unit, the values alignment between you and your supervisor, institutional pressures, or geographical factors. Learning more from colleagues can help you decide whether you really want that title and whether you need to seek additional skills-building for a chosen path.

Leading a job search with one’s values means that job seekers can then evaluate traditional career paths and titles in a new light. Rather than reflexively chasing after a title, candidates can evaluate position openings and leadership profiles based on how well the new role will allow them to live with their values and integrity intact.

To be sure, not everyone has the ability to move on from a position that is no longer serving them. There may be many reasons why one must remain in a position, including financial needs or family obligations. Even then, staying rooted in one’s values can help remind us to focus on the parts of our jobs that are aligned with our values so that we do not become bitter, resentful, or burned out. Values not only provide a compass for big career decisions but they also help protect our peace in everyday life.