Should your values drive your goals or the other way around?

The recent spate of corporate scandals, while not as systemic as some have led us to believe, does have something important to teach us-whether in a business or a personal setting. Many of us profess to have a core set of values, yet so many of us seem to fall short of our objectives at one time or another. What I am about to tell you applies to all of us. Whether we are a CEO, father, mother, friend, or mentor, values impact us all.

Value statements don't guarantee actions with values.

So what's wrong?

It all stems from putting the horse before the cart. Determining your values before (or, as was often the case with fallen corporations, separately from) your mission and objectives can lead to a potentially disastrous misplaced focus.

Consider Robert. He is intelligent, caring, a devoted family man, and has a goal to start his own advertising business. Let's also say he has done something that few individuals have done-he sat down and determined his core values. He values being the best that he can be, so his first value is Excellence. He has always been an honest man, so he also chose Honesty. For his third value, he chose Risk-Taking because he has always been willing to put everything on the line even when others advised a safer course.

Three years later, he was filing for bankruptcy. Why? Because one of the side-effects of his unbelievable creativity and penchant for brainstorming was a lack of getting things done. He was so focused on being excellent, honest, and taking risks that he forgot that his goal required a more appropriate value-Follow- through.

Your goals should direct the precise mix of your value statement. This is not to say that you can't maintain your historical values. It is key however, that your goals and objectives drive the determination of your core values.

So how can you build a successful value and goal system?

Each of these three steps could warrant a lifetime of study, and you are encouraged to explore all of them in detail. However, if you follow these steps in order, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish-whether "you" means you the individual or "you" means your company.

Step One: Determine your long-term goals

First, determine exactly what you want to accomplish in your life or in the life of your company. Some important guidelines-they must be specific, tangible, balanced, measurable, and challenging. If it can't be measured, it can't be "done." And think big. Incremental goals rarely motivate anyone. Specificity and balance are key. Determine goals across all aspects of life, both for your professional and personal lives. Be specific in every detail so that you can determine an effective action plan to coach yourself and achieve your goals.

Step Two: Determine your values

Grab a dictionary or get on the web and come up with an exhaustive list of values. Write down everything, no matter how crazy it sounds. Now, take your written goals and ask yourself the following question: "What values do I need to accomplish my goals?" Choose values that will drive you (and others, if this is a company) to action. While we may define ourselves by our values, others define us by our actions.

Step Three: Blend your goals and values into a cohesive action plan

This may seem like a novel idea, especially for corporations that have become ingrained in thinking that values statements and mission statements are separate entities. For each of your goals state exactly how each of your values will drive measurable action towards success. With daily focus, you and everyone around you will be able state the values and goals in a consistent and effortless manner. Every study on the subject has said the same thing: People and businesses that set specific goals accomplish more than those that don't. In addition, you could say the same thing about people and businesses with established values versus those that don't.

Now imagine what you could accomplish with long-term goals supported by a core set of values!