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I was asked to give a webinar for Ascend, a non-profit that supports Asian and Pacific Islander leaders of tomorrow.
As the Ascend leader and I were brainstorming the topic… I was remembering some things that held me back early in my career were strongly tied to what was important to me, my values.
My values were similar to many strongly held Asian values – either by culture or by choice.
And advice I received to further my career, actually did not align with my values…
– Fight back
– Talk more about yourself
Well… instead of changing my values, I changed how I used the same values in the workplace.
"Values are like fingerprints. Nobodies are the same, but you leave them all over everything you do."
Here’s 5 of my values that went from dragging me down… to becoming my superpower.
1/ Strong Work Ethic
Your ability to work hard, overcome challenges, and stay motivated to achieve your goals.
Unchecked, this value may lead you to:
❌ Lose sight of work-life boundaries
❌ Say yes to everything -> too much on your plate
Instead, make the most of this value by:
✅ Measuring your impact, not your time
✅ Funneling energy into a chosen few key priorities
2/ Harmony
You keep the peace within the workplace, enabling people to agree and move forward together.
Unchecked, this value may lead you to:
❌ Avoid needed conflict
❌ Not ask questions, especially to superiors
Instead, make the most of this value by:
✅ Working through conflict to reach harmony
✅ Using curiosity to clarify and better understand
3/ Being a Team Player
You know that working together gets everyone
farther than going alone. Community >>>> Self.
Unchecked, this value may lead you to:
❌ Not share achievements, so you don’t boast
❌ Step back, so you don’t stand out
Instead, make the most of this value by:
✅ Being the storyteller of your team’s achievements
✅ Being your best, giving others permission to do the same
4/ High-Quality Work
You consistently deliver your work against a very high standard.
Unchecked, this value may lead you to:
❌ Avoid risk
❌ Perfectionism
Instead, make the most of this value by:
✅ Exploring multiple options vs. just one
✅ Focusing on the end result, not the work itself
5/ Humility
You appreciate that everyone has different strengths and there is always something new to learn.
Unchecked, this value may lead you to:
❌ Lower self-confidence
❌ Let others take the lead
Instead, make the most of this value by:
✅ Recognizing your strengths compliment others
✅ Leading with openness and inclusivity
What are you going to change, so that your values work harder for you?
“Values are like fingerprints. Nobodies are the same, but you leave them all over everything you do.”
– Elvis Presley
American singer and actor
