There has been a lot of buzz in my world around the importance of core values.  That got me thinking about defining what’s really at the top of my list.  The word that first come to my mind is growth.

When I first think of growth I think of letting go of the fear that holds me back from what I crave.  I want to be a part of something bigger than myself – belong to a culture where the people in my life share similar core values.  I find meaning in the feeling that I’ve contributed in some way to improving culture and increasing the quality of life for others.

Growth also means becoming a more capable leader.  Leading positive change brings additional meaning to my life.  As a leader I want to work with a team to create a product that connects with people emotionally.  My dream is to build a portfolio of creative content that visually communicates the values of organizations (who share my values) with their users.

To do that well will require developing my abilities.

I believe:

• Leaders are grown not born.
• Intelligence is attained not obtained.
• Emotional awareness is developed not acquired.

Great leaders I’ve observed are smart, empathetic, and fortuitous.  Building those qualities take emotional and intellectual development.

Emotional development is the constant growing into self-awareness.  As we continue to change, mostly through the information gathered through our daily experiences, we need to re-discover who we are and what we value.  Clear goals and strong alignment with others who can help us reach those goals can only be set by people with self-awareness.

Intellectual development is learning useful information that helps us more effectively reach our goals.  Gathering useful information and a deep understanding of the actions and reactions of our environment helps us to form a good plan.

When emotional and intellectual development are combined we have clarity of thought.  That is when innovative ideas can be clearly articulated and translated into action.

To create an environment of growth I’m looking for ways to increase my opportunities to connect with people who are also aggressively pursuing personal and professional development.  The culture I want to be a part of is one where we share meaningful values.