The Power of Values by Edward Colozzi
Imagine how different the world would be today without the contributions of countless individuals throughout time, who believed in something special, had a dream, had a powerful vision, and followed their calling(s) with passion, despite the resistance they encountered. What moves these individuals? What is the source of their drive?
Any view of history will at some point, reveal the baby steps of a woman or man, even a young person, who stepped out from the crowded path of the masses, and chose to become the wind that would move the pages of history forward.
Some of these people are well known either globally, or within the context of numerous cultures that form the rich fabric of our humanity. Many of these individuals are probably whispers in the shadows of the twilight that gently reminds daylight that it’s time to rest, or prompts the chirping of millions of birds to awaken the sun, as darkness is put aside for yet another few hours.
The opportunity to follow one’s calling(s) is available to each of us because all people have calling(s), including primary callings, secondary callings, even shared collective callings.
Calling(s) are not relegated to the work role alone; calling(s) can be expressed across the multiple life roles that comprise career, thus I prefer to call this CAREER-LIFE. These roles might include work for pay that many people do to earn income and sustain themselves and their families.
There are other important life roles such as the time and energy spent being a spouse or partner, a parent, a learner, and even a volunteer, all specific roles that allow for the full meaning of the word CAREER to come alive with all the incredible energy within each individual to make a difference and contribute their special gifts to make this world a better place for ALL.
When an individual steps out from the path of the masses and chooses to ACT with purpose and meaning, they accomplish three amazing feats.
* First, they have engaged the centrality of all of life, MEANING, and discovered a measure of MEANING and PURPOSE that is relevant to herself or himself.
* Second, they have engaged themselves with whatever gifts they have, that arouse their passions and ignite their energy within, an energy that surely needs to be expressed for a measure of self-actualization, even happiness, to emerge.
* Third, they have affected others and contributed CHANGE to not only those in their immediate sphere of influence, but this effect is cosmic, universal, and infinite. They become the butterfly that causes great winds of change oceans away and centuries ahead.
All of this is sourced in the Power of Values. Right core values inform right behavior. Right behavior is hallmark of effective leadership. One can choose to #bealeader across any of the major nine career-life roles because these life roles are excellent and practical ways to express core values associated with meaning and purpose.
As this year starts to wind down, and soon emerge as a new year, many will be involved with the U. S. election, post election activities, various holidays, and the numerous career-life roles they are playing daily, which will perhaps involve even more stress than usual. This is a perfect time for reflecting on the Power of Values. This link to my blog provides more discussion on this topic and specific activities and useful links that support reflection and values discernment.
The #bealeader chat this Thursday, November 1st at 7pmET will also provide an opportunity for refection about the Power of Values.
#bealeader chat questions
Q1 What are values and why are they important for making career-life decisions?
Q2 What are sources of our values; is one source more influential than others?
Q3 Can people have values they “think” are their’s and “hidden” values”? Explain
Q4 What are challenges to UNDERSTANDING our/other’s values?
Q5 What helps us and others understand values?
Q6 Does knowing one’s values ensure doing right actions? Why/Why not?
Q7 What blocks a person from FOLLOWING their values? Why?
Q8 How does it feel to follow one’s core values?
Q9 TWO parts:
a) How can following your core values make a difference in YOUR life?
b) How can following your core values make a difference in the lives of others/the world?
Q10 How does following core values support an individual to #bealeader?
About Edward Anthony Colozzi, Ed.D.
Edward is the owner of Career Development and Counseling Services in Winchester, MA and provides corporate trainings, individual counseling, career coaching, workshops, distance coaching, and motivational speeches for adults and youth. Ed is an Adjunct Professor at the Boston University School of Education. Ed pioneered and coined the “career-life” paradigm 1976 in Hawaii/throughout Pacific Basin Rim, to reframe career as multiple roles people play throughout life, including their work role, and focuses on spirituality/wellness in the context of career-life choices. He is the founder/co-host of the new #schools2life Tweet Chat and the LinkedIn schools2life Discussion Group. His work with “discovering client callings” involves Depth Oriented Values Extraction (DOVE), and he has published book chapters and articles on these and related topics. His self-paced workbook, “Creating Careers with Confidence”, was the first career-life book selected for publication in Braille internationally. It was also published by Pearson/Prentice Hall in 2009 and is available on most Internet book websites. Ed has served in several teaching, counseling, and career development center coordinator positions at both graduate and undergraduate levels including several community colleges for over forty years, and provided numerous agency and college staff development workshops for counselors and teaching faculty regarding stress management, cost-effective delivery of career services, and the infusion of career-life guidance materials into the curricula, in a variety of national and international settings. Ed received his undergraduate psychology degree from Boston University, a masters and a doctorate in education specializing in Community Colleges and a second masters in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University and is a licensed mental health counselor, a nationally certified counselor, a master career counselor, a MASS State Certified Trainer, and an NCDA Fellow. Ed has also developed Internet-based career guidance materials for K-12 students, including a guidance game for middle school students, and is the lead author for JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement) Economics for Success for middle school students and Careers with a Purpose for high school students.
You can reach Ed at his email and as well as his website www.creatingcareerswithconfidence.com . You can also find Ed on Twitter at @EdwardColozzi
So glad that people are talking about these important topics such as callings, values, and meaning in ones life roles!! Thank you!
Thanks, Kristen. This is a topic that reaches to the heart of each us – our values relate to our callings in life. I hope you can join us on Twitter at #bealeader – just follow the hashtag as we discuss this further with Ed Colozzi at 7pmET
Thank you Kristen,
These topics do affect all people and across ALL career-life roles. So much of what we choose to do, how we choose to live, and why we choose to think, perceive, feel, etc, is related directly to our values. Thus, taking time to discuss values and reflect on values, especially our own, is critical to the Life Journey. EdC
Thank you, Ed, for such a great conversation this week at #bealeader – so many have written me offline to discuss the topic of values and this conversation seems to have legs. Great job!