A while ago I read a book called Managing by Values, which I highly recommend. It’s a pretty short little book, and the main lesson in it can be applied to an organization or to an individual.

This lesson involves who (or in this case what) is leading or guiding your business life? In other words, who is the boss?

Most companies and individuals view the “corporate hierarchy” like this:

Shareholders
CEO
Managers
Workers

And that’s how it works in most organizations. Workers look to managers for guidance, managers report to a CEO, the CEO has to satisfy the shareholders and that’s the accepted way of doing it. By the way, I realize that it’s not actually that simple, but you get the idea.

There are companies, however, that don’t have the traditional problems found in “most companies.” They don’t have high turnover, they attract great people, they show profits without having to “cook the books,” people love working there and it runs like a well-oiled machine. In short, there are organizations (and individuals) that run the way an organization should run. In many of those organizations, the “hierarchy” looks more like this:

Core Values
CEO
Everyone Else

In other words, the real boss is the Values that everyone shares; an agreed upon set of concepts that the organization embodies. In this scenario nobody gets bossed around by anyone, because they don’t have to!

When Values are the real boss, everyone works together and makes decisions that honor and enliven those values. A set of unchanging principals that are decided upon ahead of time can be one of the most powerful forces in the world for creating harmony.

So how can you apply this concept in your Life?

As you are finishing 2009 and heading into 2010, take some time to think about the Values that guide you. Get off by yourself and answer the question “What’s really important to me?” The only rule in answering is that a Value is not something you do.

For example, “exercising” is not a value, it’s a behavior. What you are trying to accomplish with that behavior – health, strength, discipline, growth, whatever – that is the Value that you’re really trying to embody.

“Making money” is not a Value, but Prosperity, Freedom, and Security are.

“Travel” is not a Value, but Adventure, Learning, and Diversity are.

Take the things you like to do and ask what Values those things stand for, and you’ll do two things. First of all, you’ll have a great conversation with yourself. Second, the answers you come up with will become a boss that you love to report to everyday and you’ll have the foundation of Harmony and Freedom to start the new year very strongly.

Be Free!

Roger Seip
Instructor