Building Self-Awareness, Self-Acceptance and Self-Belief

Values Exercise

Values are the things we hold most dear, that guide our choices and the way we
understand the world. They are often unconscious; if we can become more
conscious of what our values are we can tap into their power more effectively to
achieve our goals, and we can spot when values we developed in the past are
getting in the way of goals we have in the present.

Activity

Step 1

Reflect upon these questions

 What are your most important values?

 What are, say, the top ten things which matter most to you?

 When and why did these values become to be so important to you?

 (The story may be different for each of your values)

 How does each of these values affect your choices and behaviour today?

 How have they affected important choices and behaviour in the past?

 What are the links between your values and your decision to develop as a
leader?

 Where do your values support and energize you as a leader?

 How do they influence the kind of leader you are?

 Can you see any conflicts between your values and a role as a leader?

 How will you resolve those conflicts?

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Step 2

Complete your balance wheel.

The ‘wheel of life’ pictured below shows important areas of our life. What is
going on in each of these areas, and how we feel about what is going on, have
great influence on our mental and emotional health, on our sense of identity and
purpose, and on our values, beliefs and priorities. Also, the balance of
investment in and satisfaction with each of these areas has important
implications for us.

Spiritual Friends Family

Connection & Marriage/
Growth Partnership

Community/
Money/ Financial Society

Emotional Work/ Career

Health
Personal
Home Learning &
Growth
Leisure & Physical Health
Recreation & Fitness

1. First, reflect on each of the areas in turn and on what the words mean to you.

2. Which areas do you typically invest most in? Why? What have been/are the
consequences?

3. Which areas do you typically invest least in? Why? What have been/are the
consequences?

4. Which areas bring you the strongest sense of fulfillment, achievement and/or
happiness? Why? What have been/are the consequences?

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5. Which areas bring you the strongest sense of uncertainty, dissatisfaction
and/or failure? Why? What have been/are the consequences?

6. Are there areas you find it particularly easy to reflect on in this way? Are there
areas where such reflection seems particularly difficult, or even pointless?
What do these thoughts tell you about yourself?

7. Reflect on, for each area in turn, your greatest achievements. What are you
proud of, in relation to that area of your life and why?

8. Reflect on, for each area in turn, your current goals. What do you most want
to change/develop in relation to that area of your life, and why?

Step 3

9. Now reflect on the implications of all your discoveries about yourself during
this process for why you want to lead others, and how you will develop to your
full potential as a leader.

10. Where are there links between goals you have for yourself and your role as a
leader to others?

11. How can you tap into the energy and sense of purpose such links can
generate?

12. Are there any conflicts between goals you have for yourself, and your role as
a leader to others? Such conflicts can be practical as well as emotional and
philosophical.

13. How could you resolve these conflicts?

This kind of reflection is carried out differently by all of us. Some of us sit down
and focus on it in a disciplined way for, say, 30 minutes. Others of us have it ‘at
the back of our minds’ over days while doing other things. Some of us do it ‘all at
once’. Others of us get caught up in thinking about one particular area.

Be aware of how you personally approached this exercise, and what that tells
you about yourself.