Over the next few weeks, we will focus on one dimension of Principle Based Management at a time, including prompts for reflection, discussion, and application. There’s no singular right way to begin, but we hope that some of the following ideas will inspire you.
Virtue and Talents: Everyone can develop their gifts and self-actualize by contributing in the lives of others
Our organizations succeed when we hire and retain individuals who are contribution motivated and have gifts and passions that advance our vision.
To define and discuss contribution motivation with your team, consider these discussion topics for your next meeting or share as individual reflection prompts:
How do I bring my best self to work every day?
This dimension encourages us to consider both talents and virtue in how we show up to work every day and find meaningful success. Talents are the gifts we bring and develop to help our organization succeed. Virtue inspires us to embrace the values that help foster the culture our organization is seeking to build and that help us grow.
To explore this with your team, discuss or reflect on the following statements:
- I have gifts I can develop and apply to grow my contributions. Which gifts can I further develop or find new ways to apply?
- When I seek to use my gifts to help others improve their lives, this is contribution motivation. In what areas of our work could I make a stronger contribution through my gifts?
- As I take steps to internalize my organization’s core values, I build up the muscles of contribution motivation. What is my rhythm and practice of reminding myself of our core values?
What makes me unique?
We are all capable of contributing to the lives of others. We are best positioned to accomplish this when we continually discover, develop, and apply our unique mix of knowledge, gifts, and passions.
Take some time to unlock new insights about yourself by considering the following questions:
- What is your unique mix of knowledge, gifts, and passions?
- What are some untapped gifts and passions?
- How can these insights help you contribute even more to your organization?
- What adjustments (large or small) can you make to your role?
How do I get results I feel good about?
Almost all of us want to succeed, and succeed in a way we feel good about because how we get results matters. Living by shared values, such as integrity, humility, and respect, can guide our behavior as we seek to add value to our teams and the customers we serve.
Consider a recent result (positive or negative) and reflect on the following:
- Was this outcome by chance or because I leaned into/away from one or more of our organization’s shared values?
- If the outcome was negative, what was a value that I could have applied in the situation to improve the outcome?
- Given my organization’s values, which one am I excited to apply to my next decision more deeply?
