Connect your core values to the impact you seek

At the core, we don't just work for money, or else we would all choose the highest paying careers.
When I ask leaders what motivates them in their work, and we double click a few times on each reason, it turns out, each time, that each of us seeks to help others.
I asked a client who is pursuing a director role, who thrives in his sr. manager role leading a large team, what brings him joy, he sort of froze. After a long pause, he said "if I'm really honest, I'm not sure I know what will bring me joy at the next level, because I know it'll take me away from leading my team."

This kind of worry about moving to the next level has come up from a handful of other leaders I coached over the years. It's not as uncommon as you'd think.
When we go beyond the ego stroke and the high we get from having more influence and power, beneath the surface can be a legitimate worry about whether we can experience joy given we're so far removed from what initially motivated us.

If this resonates, think about your core values and try to connect those values to the IMPACT you hope to have at the next level role.
For example, if at the core, you highly value integrity and honesty (like my client does), being at the next level will allow you to ...
...bring more accountability and transparency to big strategic decisions you'll be part of
...call out the elephant in the room and help move forward tough conversations
...bring a sense of trust to teams you lead, helping others feel more engaged, motivated, and more joy.

Photo credit: Mona Eendra for Unsplash

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