Ever felt like you’re just missing ‘something’?
Job for life? Never my style.
I worked at the BBC for 8 years, before moving on, and it was the same when I moved into Corporate Communications, another 8 years later. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy those roles, I did. And I performed them well – producing all the shows in the station where I worked, doing live reporting and reading the news – and then going on to do some interesting work and high level projects in the corporate sector (as well as having side jobs as a group fitness instructor and jewellery designer). But for some reason I couldn’t fathom, they all got to a point where I needed to move on.
It wasn’t until much later— in my 40s—that I had this big “aha” moment. And it was because I was encouraged to dig into my personal values when I trained as a Coach (thank you for the amazing Dave Jones, my tutor!)
My Lightbulb Moment
Journalism, corporate comms, shop work, aerobics instructing, performing on stage—you name it. I’ve done a lot of different things in my life. While I enjoyed parts of every role, I always felt like I didn’t quite fit. I’d wonder, “Why can’t I just stick with one thing? Is there something wrong with me?”
For years, I beat myself up about it. I thought maybe I lacked staying power or wasn’t good enough to climb the legendary corporate ladder. But then, at 41, it hit me: my core values are learning and growth.
Suddenly, everything made sense. I wasn’t flaky or indecisive—I just thrive in environments where I’m learning something new or stretching myself. And when that’s not happening? Well, I lose interest.
Knowing this about myself was a total game-changer. Instead of feeling guilty for not loving certain tasks, I started embracing what makes me, me.
Now, I’ve been lucky enough to create a role for myself where there is oodles of things to learn about, I’m constantly challenged to grow, and I absolutely love it! But I’m not sure I would have got here without knowing my own value set. Getting that kind of clarity can make it so much easier to create life and work that lights you up and feels aligned with you.
Why Values Matter in Business
Why am I sharing this? Because if you’re a small business owner, understanding your values isn’t just nice—it’s essential. Here’s why:
- You’ll Make Better Choices
When you know what drives you, decision-making becomes so much easier. For example, if you value creativity, you’ll probably prioritise projects that let you innovate over ones that feel routine. - Work Feels Better
When your work aligns with your values, it doesn’t feel like a grind. You’ll wake up more energized and excited about what you’re doing. - You’ll Get Your Team onboard
And the Brucey bonus? Your values also help you understand and connect with your team. When you understand why someone acts the way they do, you can approach conversations with more empathy and are more likely to explain your ideas in a way that will resonate with them.
Avoiding Conflict by Understanding Values
Most workplace drama happens because people don’t “get” where someone else is coming from.
Let’s say you’re all about creativity and innovation, but one of your team members is laser-focused on financial security. If you don’t realize that, their decisions might rub you the wrong way—and vice versa.
But when you understand their perspective? Everything shifts. You can start communicating in ways that resonate with them and avoid butting heads. It’s not about changing anyone—it’s about meeting them where they are.
“If you don’t know your values, you can’t control your behaviour”
Katey Martin, an experienced hostage and terrorism negotiator and trainer for the Metropolitan Police recently came on Story Slurp Podcast – and raved about the importance of values. She says it’s a must for all new negotiators to understand their own values: “We teach a whole exercise on people understanding what their own values are. If we don’t know what our values are, then we can’t really account for our own behaviours, because our values are what motivate our behavior. If we don’t unpick what our values are, then we won’t have control over our behaviour.” (You can listen to the episode of Story Slurp with Katey here).
How to Find Your Values
If you’re thinking, “Okay, but how do I figure out my values?” don’t worry—it’s not as daunting as it sounds.
Here’s how you can start:
- Look back. Think about the times in your life when you felt happiest or most fulfilled. What was going on?
- Notice patterns. Are there certain tasks or environments you gravitate toward? Things you avoid?
- Ask yourself what matters. Is it freedom, creativity, stability, helping others, or something else entirely?
There are some great tools to help you:
Using a pack of values cards, like the ones in the image, can help you whittle down your top values (and these are also great for throwing in a few curveballs to expand your thinking and challenge you.
Online value assessment tools can also help to simplify the process. I always ask my coaching clients to identify their values before I work with them – simply because knowing their values helps to explain so much of their behaviour and helps them make choices more aligned with themselves.
And working with a Coach can help you not only get clear on your values, but help you to align your life and work better alongside them.
The Bottom Line
If you don’t understand your values, you’re probably going to go through your life not quite feeling fulfilled, not quite fitting in and not really understanding why or what to do about it.
Understanding your values is like unlocking a cheat code for your life and business. It helps you make smarter decisions, connect better with your team, and, most importantly, feel more like yourself.
So take a little time to figure them out. You’ll be amazed at how much clarity and peace it brings—not just for your business, but for you.