Work values, life values.

It’s funny how you don’t realize your values until they are violated. There’s a guiding approach to how I do my work and how I live my life that is becoming more and more apparent to me. With that, I wanted to put them out there. (I am sure there are more, but these are ones that I’ve come back to time and time lately).

Treating people with respect

Whether it’s dealing with customers, retail clerks, employees or friends, I do my best to always put myself in their shoes and treat them with respect. Whether it’s giving customers reasonable notice to changes to their service, or dealing with difficult situation, it can all be done with respect and keeping the person in mind. Call it empathy, call it basic dignity, it’s so simple, but so key for relationships to operate effectively.

Honesty & Transparency

This one gets me in trouble. I am sure a way to “get ahead” is to tell shades of the truth, and manipulate people into doing the work you need them to do. But I do the opposite. I tell the truth, I am transparent about my intentions and why I am doing what I am doing. What that results in is a team who will walk through fire for you. They may push back if they question an intention but it means a truthful conversation that always ends in a good place.

Assuming good intentions

I live by and learn from this value every time. Whether that’s at work, or in derby, or in my marriage, it always comes back to the fact that people generally have good intentions. People may “look like” they are doing something evil, but usually (and I actually can’t come up with a time when it’s not been true) they are trying to do what they think is best. They didn’t wake up in the morning and think “hey let’s mess this person up today”. When I go into any conflict with this in mind it always ends up in a better place. Conflicts generally come from people assuming the opposite.

While none of these are earth shattering, nor surprising, it’s funny how you don’t realize that they are your rutter until you’re taken off course. My hope is by putting it out there and forcing myself to articulate this that I will follow my values more explicitly.