...seems a great strategy Jeff, if for nothing else than to keep track of personal development, and reflection of trajectories...could also see if the personal matches the professional and fix and/or match yourself to those opportunities vs. the reflections/values created...super curious to hear how these match to you current post covid 4 years later self, and as to what you think is an ideal timeline for doing this type of work and/or updating and checking in on it...do values have temporal or interpersonal sense (ie; would you have different daily values, vs. annually -- are all values insular or good to create shared values amongst certain partnerships)...lots to think about but most of all appreciate the playfulness of matching value to image and idea...strong concept...
Thanks for your feedback on this, as always. Knowing you, I have zero doubt that your personal values are spiky and sensory! I think values should be enduring, but they can be refreshed and updated and they weigh differently at different periods of life. For example, many people would say they value family, and that value may become more present and carry more weight after having a kid. My own action will be to review them more often, like at the start of every New Year.
You’re so facile with humor and metaphor, Jeff. It’s such a delight to come upon sentences like: “It makes me good, like a GI handing out chocolate to French kids after the Normandy landing.”
As someone who has an allergy to aphorisms, especially those printed on driftwood signs, I really love this idea. A metaphor can encapsulate so much more than abstract nouns, and that’s what you show us with Hershey Kisses, Montana, and Churchill.
As I was reading the paragraphs about the use of these symbols in your company, and you named them as a compass, I was thinking about Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, and the energy and skill it takes Lyra to interpret the compass’s messages, but now much of a narrative the images on the compass can reveal to her. Revelations that guide her and in some instances, save her life. Values are often life-savers, as you illustrate with Churchill. And they return us to who we are, as you name in the end of your essay.
Thanks Alyssa! I appreciate your support and kind words. You're so right about driftwood signs. That's a great metaphor. I'm not familiar with "The Golden Compass" but will check it out.
I get the sensory part but I'm not so clear on what you mean by spiky, I'd love to hear your definition. I love the extra dimension you talk through about defining your values!
Good question, since I didn't define it! I think of "spiky" as a combination of unique and memorable. Maybe I should swap it out for "unique" to make my point more clear.
I love that definition, maybe that's all it needs, those two words after the first time you use it in that context... I prefer spiky to unique on its own, as clearly it's a more unusual and memorable word which is the point of you using it hehe.... It's such a balancing act I find striving for clarity and even brevity, but using language in a surprising way to capture and keep people's attention... You are doing an awesome job! 😍
I just stealth-edited, adding the sentence, "By spiky, I mean unique and memorable." I agree with the challenge of finding the right balance. Thanks for the kind feedback!
I remember showing up for a gig in the town of Hershey PA and will never forget all their street lamps were in the shape of Hershey kisses. Talk about putting your values front and center. Have you ever visited Hershey?
I very much enjoyed the article and thought my values represent how spunky I am. Spunky be a good thing as it drives me to be a success in both my personal and professional live. Being spunky helps to keep me focused my successes and failures, and to analyze both for future adventures and/or challenges. Goal is to win and in doing so build up those who helped me win … I want everyone to be a spunky winner.
...seems a great strategy Jeff, if for nothing else than to keep track of personal development, and reflection of trajectories...could also see if the personal matches the professional and fix and/or match yourself to those opportunities vs. the reflections/values created...super curious to hear how these match to you current post covid 4 years later self, and as to what you think is an ideal timeline for doing this type of work and/or updating and checking in on it...do values have temporal or interpersonal sense (ie; would you have different daily values, vs. annually -- are all values insular or good to create shared values amongst certain partnerships)...lots to think about but most of all appreciate the playfulness of matching value to image and idea...strong concept...
Thanks for your feedback on this, as always. Knowing you, I have zero doubt that your personal values are spiky and sensory! I think values should be enduring, but they can be refreshed and updated and they weigh differently at different periods of life. For example, many people would say they value family, and that value may become more present and carry more weight after having a kid. My own action will be to review them more often, like at the start of every New Year.
You’re so facile with humor and metaphor, Jeff. It’s such a delight to come upon sentences like: “It makes me good, like a GI handing out chocolate to French kids after the Normandy landing.”
As someone who has an allergy to aphorisms, especially those printed on driftwood signs, I really love this idea. A metaphor can encapsulate so much more than abstract nouns, and that’s what you show us with Hershey Kisses, Montana, and Churchill.
As I was reading the paragraphs about the use of these symbols in your company, and you named them as a compass, I was thinking about Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, and the energy and skill it takes Lyra to interpret the compass’s messages, but now much of a narrative the images on the compass can reveal to her. Revelations that guide her and in some instances, save her life. Values are often life-savers, as you illustrate with Churchill. And they return us to who we are, as you name in the end of your essay.
Thanks Alyssa! I appreciate your support and kind words. You're so right about driftwood signs. That's a great metaphor. I'm not familiar with "The Golden Compass" but will check it out.
This really resonated as someone who's recently defined my values. Thank you for the inspiration to make them spiky 🙏
I get the sensory part but I'm not so clear on what you mean by spiky, I'd love to hear your definition. I love the extra dimension you talk through about defining your values!
Good question, since I didn't define it! I think of "spiky" as a combination of unique and memorable. Maybe I should swap it out for "unique" to make my point more clear.
I love that definition, maybe that's all it needs, those two words after the first time you use it in that context... I prefer spiky to unique on its own, as clearly it's a more unusual and memorable word which is the point of you using it hehe.... It's such a balancing act I find striving for clarity and even brevity, but using language in a surprising way to capture and keep people's attention... You are doing an awesome job! 😍
I just stealth-edited, adding the sentence, "By spiky, I mean unique and memorable." I agree with the challenge of finding the right balance. Thanks for the kind feedback!
I remember showing up for a gig in the town of Hershey PA and will never forget all their street lamps were in the shape of Hershey kisses. Talk about putting your values front and center. Have you ever visited Hershey?
Thanks Rick. Haven't been there since I was a kid! Might have to take my kid there this summer.
I read this and I thought spunky.
Spunky, spiky - sort of the same thing! Or are you saying spunky is one of your values??
I very much enjoyed the article and thought my values represent how spunky I am. Spunky be a good thing as it drives me to be a success in both my personal and professional live. Being spunky helps to keep me focused my successes and failures, and to analyze both for future adventures and/or challenges. Goal is to win and in doing so build up those who helped me win … I want everyone to be a spunky winner.
I like it! “Spunky” is spiky :)