Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for leadership and provides direction when leadership removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Leadership
Leadership often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when leadership has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult leadership periods
- A basis for action independent of how leadership makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Leadership
Ask yourself: 'If my leadership were less present, what would I be doing more of? What kind of person would I be?'
Values are not goals (achievable and done) but ongoing directions: being a present parent, creating beauty, contributing to others.
Values-Based Action in Leadership
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when leadership is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite leadership, are more sustainable than waiting for leadership to lift first.