Ever tried to put your beliefs, your values and how you see the world in writing? Try it sometime. It’s challenging but really helps define what’s important to you, what you believe in and how you approach your life and work. I often help companies and individuals define their values, ethics and worldviews as part of their communications planning and marketing plans. Contact me and I can help you define yours.
Personally, I see the world as a series of connections and collaborations with information and communications, whether they are verbal, written or non-verbal, as the central element that connects us all. Here are some more of my core values and beliefs:
Ethics, Respect and Honesty drive everything I do. I believe in telling people what they need to hear, not just what I think they want to hear, but I do believe that manners and civility are very important. I believe that everyone makes mistakes, but it’s how you handle those mistakes that really matters. I believe that building and maintaining open and honest relationships through respect, diligent communications and thoughtful discourse is the key to success in both work and in my personal life. Atticus Finch, from my favorite book To Kill A Mockingbird said, “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” I always try to think about, and empathize with where others are coming from. I might not always agree, but I will always listen and try to understand.
Efficiency and Thrift. I try to do more with less. I like nice things and try to surround myself with beauty and grace, but don’t put too many stakes in status, image or material goods. Sustainability and stability in business, along with friends, family and community are the things most important to me. I love coming up with creative, cost cutting methods for everything from my home to my work, and I believe that low cost solutions are often the best solutions. Although truth be told, I will shell out for a nice dinner or the occasional plane ticket to an exotic locale. Hey, we all have our guilty pleasures.
Passionate, Focused and Determined. I am a child of hard working parents who grew up in the depression and I have a strong work ethic. I’m not a company bench warmer only working in order to get a paycheck. I am a highly motivated self-starter and a results driven individual who is simply passionate about what I do. This means I am not afraid to roll up my sleeves and take out the trash if that’s what it takes to get the job done.
Collaborative and Sharing. You can view the world as a pie with only a certain number of pieces to fight over, or you can get together with others to create more pie. I chose the latter. I’ve also learned time and time again, giving means I’ll be rewarded ten times in return.
Adventurous, Creative and Fun. Because life is simply too short not to be. I love new challenges, experiences and adventures, and love meeting and talking to all kinds of people. I believe it is OK to laugh at myself and that a sense of humor goes a long way in developing and keeping strong relationships. I like making things, and love art, music and food. This value of hard work coupled with creativity is at the core of how I live my life. Having fun is infectious and leads to all kinds of wonderful opportunities.
Lifelong Learning. I am curious, engaged and open to change. This is especially central to my work. For in today’s world of rapidly emerging technologies, successful writers and communications professionals must have a lust for learning and must embrace new ways of doing things. I am constantly challenging myself to stretch and grow, work hard to keep on top of new skills and keep involved in best practices in the communications profession. I am committed to constant educational development opportunities. I also love to share my knowledge, and apply what I’ve learned to teaching those around me.