“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” - Benjamin Franklin

What is success to you? We have started a series to discuss success, how to approach this big question, and how to stay true to yourself.

This week, we are exploring building awareness as one of 5 practices in value-based leadership. Building awareness is essential to staying true to our values and better understanding how we are perceived. Values-based leaders choose to live, work, and lead in alignment with their core values and ignite the potential of others by helping them do the same.

Building awareness and understanding who we are and our impact is critical to planting the seeds of success. Planting seeds for success is about focusing and working on ourselves to get clear about our values to lead from that authenticity. This work can include:

Identifying our values and how they affect our choices, emotions, behaviors, relationships
How are we investing in developing or growing our skills/abilities?
Life creates opportunities for growth, which can masquerade as obstacles
Reaching our potential requires us to see options in challenges to believe in our ability to learn from setbacks
It requires us to accept hard truths about ourselves
To constantly strive to be the best version of ourselves
To make hard choices that align with our values

Building awareness can be one of the most challenging parts of leadership. Feedback can feel threatening and hurtful. It can be surprising to learn how others experience us, especially when it does not align with how we see ourselves. What may have been true about us at 20 years old is no longer valid at age 40, 60, etc. Our situations, relationships, and environments change, drawing on different parts of our gifts and gaps. Three ways to practice building awareness: Examining our values, Identifying strengths and weaknesses, and Seeking feedback.

Examining values, style, and beliefs: Pay attention to what energizes you and what makes you angry; evaluate your beliefs and challenge where they come from (and whether they are still valid); journal to reflect on who you are beyond titles or jobs.
Identifying strengths and weaknesses: Strengths are things we excel at and that come easily to us. Weaknesses feel clunky or awkward when we attempt them, and we avoid them if given the choice.
Seeking feedback: Others may see you more clearly than you see yourself, especially if a value is subtle or in your BLINDSPOT. This can be challenging because other interpretations are run through their filters. Their interpretations of your values may need more accurate, but they are great data points to build awareness. Remember that we judge others on our intentions while others judge us on our BEHAVIORS. When seeking feedback, look to your experts (to grow up), look to peers (to grow out), and look to proteges (to grow down). Ask questions like: who do you say I am, and who do people say I am? Seek to understand and learn from all feedback and all data you receive, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Leading without feedback is like driving home with the dashboard covered -Greg McCann

Success is foundationally connected to our values and beliefs. The more time we spend getting clear on these aspects of who we are, the more effective we can be leading from a place of authenticity.

“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

— Roy Disney

Jim Carey’s inspirational commencement speech is worth a watch (likely a few times)
InnerWill: Developing Better People, Braver Leaders, and a Wiser World through the Practice of Value-Based Leadership by Dr Thomas Epperson - InnerWill provides the keys to true resilience. Change is fundamental to growth, and new ventures won’t always go the way you planned. Learn how to motivate yourself and others to roll with the punches and keep moving forward, becoming the kind of effective leader who surpasses goals again and again.
Newsletters I read daily to stay informed and get inspired: The Hustle, Morning Brew, Seth Godin’s Blog, Atlas Obscura, Oprah Daily

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**HBR’s “On Managing Yourself”**

This month's must-read for leaders is a compilation of vital Harvard Business Review articles focused on self-management. The book emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, urging professionals to recognize their core strengths and values as the bedrock of success. Designed to maintain engagement and productivity throughout one's career, it's an invaluable guide for leaders seeking sustained personal and professional growth
**P.S. Reply to this newsletter and let me know what you are reading 📚**

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