Decode Your Value to Identify Strengths You Never Knew You Had

During these tough times, people have been sick, lost loved ones, their jobs, and income. With concerns about the rising COVID-19, worries about children returning to school and their safety, protests about racial injustice, the upcoming Presidential election and more, many people are in-limbo.

While we can control our external circumstances by wearing masks, practicing social distancing and sanitizing our living spaces, to a point, how can we manage and move beyond uncertainty?

Many of us have heard or read about doomsday surfing. "There’s nothing wrong with staying informed. But we need to practice self-care and balance our consumption of grim news with gentler kinds of stimulation, for our own health and the sanity of those around us." -- The New York Times, 2020.

Let’s take this advice a step further. What about seizing this time to reflect on opportunities? It’s tough to do this when you're feeling down, unmotivated, stressed and worried. However, we only have two choices: to give up or keep moving forward.

After thinking about my 25-year career as a marketing communications veteran having worked in corporations, for agencies and as a consultant, I wanted to launch my own marketing, PR and social media agency.

I shared this idea with friends, colleagues and my family who cautioned that there were already many agencies in New York City and there’s too much competition. I guess I was looking for confirmation bias because when one of my colleagues said there’s more than enough business to go around, I launched Wendy Glavin Agency in 2016.

The power of looking back at your background, experiences, relationships, hobbies and interests will help you find common patterns and transferable skills. More importantly, what are your core values?  

As Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” What this means is our values define us. Knowing what they are gives us a competitive advantage.

Often called soft skills, values include being honest, loyal, passionate, ethical, positive, dependable, adaptable, collaborative, creative, possessing strong communications skills and emotional intelligence.

Alyssa Merwin, Vice President of LinkedIn's Sales Solutions, North America, said sales professionals need to learn, “Active listening, problem-solving, critical thinking and relationship-building.” 

While it may seem counterintuitive to learn interpersonal skills, digital classes on emotionally intelligent communication techniques are some of the most popular online courses. 

“Communication is one of those skills that’s universal,” explains Emily Poague, Vice President Marketing, LinkedIn Learning. “It’s something that everyone feels like they need to work on,” and demand for soft skills has increased since the pandemic.  -- CNBC, June 2020.

During these uncertain times, I want to help as many professionals, startups, and brands to define their value in a commoditized marketplace. Defining (or decoding) your value means more than the work you do; it shapes your life and choices.

Weekly, I participate in Lunchclub AI’s service which pairs people with others based on their objectives like, brainstorming with peers, finding a co-founder, raising funds, mentoring others and more.

I’ve spoken to many young adults who feel stuck after graduating, startup founders strapped for cash, and others across the U.S. and globally that have been furloughed, laid-off and are living day-to-day. 

While the stimulus package has helped many people to continue to pay their rent, make mortgage payments and have some financial backing, it’s ending on July 31st. 

Instead of ruminating about what will happen, when there will be a vaccine, how long will the pandemic last and other worries, learn how to manage uncertainty by creating new opportunities for yourself.

Regardless of your product, service, new idea, side gig, or a new career path, perhaps it’s time for you to do some of the reflective work. It doesn’t have to take days, weeks or months; just focused thought and digging into who you are and what you believe. Then you can let your values guide you.

I’ve started to help business professionals to decode their value. It’s my way of giving back to help others grow through a brand decoding process, so they can identify and shape their brand value. 

Getting out of a holding pattern, even when you’re managing a lot of change, means taking the next step to rediscover and embrace your true value. If you want to learn more about the steps to Decoding Your Value, then you can find additional information here.

One of my favorite quotes is from Eric Thomas who said, “Don’t think about what can happen in a month. Don’t think about what can happen in a year. Focus on the 24-hours in front of you and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be.”

Wendy Glavin - Everyone is Not a Journalist – Think Before You Hit Print