How to Align Career Choices With Core Values

The hardest person to manage is ourselves. In 2005, Peter Drucker wrote an Harvard Business Review article that feels like it was written for today’s world. He emphasized something powerful: the ability to manage ourselves. In a time when career paths are no longer linear and change is constant, his insights are more relevant than ever. Drucker challenged us to ask three big questions about ourselves: - What are my strengths? - How do I perform best? - What are my values? These questions aren’t just for the Napoléons and Mozarts of the world—they’re for anyone navigating the complexities of the workplace. Here’s how to reflect on these ideas and manage yourself more effectively: 1. Discover Your Strengths Most people think they know what they’re good at—but many are wrong. Drucker proposed a simple solution: feedback analysis. Write down your expectations every time you make a key decision. A year later (or maybe a few months later), compare the actual results with what you expected. Patterns will emerge, showing you where you truly shine—and where you don’t. Tip: Focus on your strengths. Instead of trying to fix every weakness, double down on what you naturally excel at to achieve excellence. 2. Understand How You Perform People work and learn differently. Are you a reader or a listener? Do you learn by doing, writing, or talking? For example, Eisenhower excelled as a Supreme Commander because he prepared with written questions but struggled as President because he had to answer spontaneously in press conferences. Tip: Align your work style with what suits you best. If you’re a listener, seek discussions; if you’re a writer, carve out time to process through writing. 3. Live by Your Values Values are your internal compass. They define not just what you do but how you want to show up. Drucker shared the story of a diplomat who resigned rather than compromise his values. Knowing your values ensures your work aligns with who you are at the core. Tip: Periodically ask yourself: Does my work align with my values? If not, it may be time to pivot. As work evolves, so must we. By understanding our strengths, adapting how we perform, and living by our values, we can chart fulfilling, impactful careers. For me, this is a reminder to pause and reflect—not just on WHAT I’m doing but HOW and WHY I’m doing it. The hardest person to manage truly is ourselves, but when we embrace that challenge, we create opportunities to grow, contribute, and thrive in ways that feel deeply aligned with who we are. #reflection #learning #clarity #growth #improvement #leadership #humanBehavior #curiosity #values https://lnkd.in/enjcH4VJ

Ever have that moment where you look up from your laptop and think, This is not what I signed up for. You’ve had your head down, working hard, just trying to make it through the days and weeks. Then you stop. Blink. And start saying thinking: How did I end up here? This isn’t what I thought it was going to be. Is this as good as it gets? Is this even what I want? I don’t have any other options. I’ve been there for sure. That line of thinking can make you feel powerless and trapped. Which often leads to not making any changes. To burnout, dread, anxiety, and overwhelm. You end up abdicating your autonomy to your job. There are so many ways you can start making small shifts that add up to a completely different day-to-day emotional experience. Change in the right direction. Some ideas: 1️⃣ Reconnect with your values and goals: Take some time to reflect on what's important to you and what you hope to achieve in your career. It may not be the same as it was when you started out. Once you’ve done that, what needs to change to get in alignment with those values and goals? Start making changes one by one. 2️⃣ Focus on what you can control: It's easy to feel overwhelmed or frustrated by the things that are outside of your control, such as organizational policies and politics, supervisors, colleagues, clients, trends in your industry, or the job market. Instead of focusing on these external factors, focus on the things that you can control, such as your own mindset, work habits, and actions. 3️⃣ Identify areas for growth: It’s possible that you aren’t being challenged enough or that your professional growth has stalled or that you are bored with what you are currently doing. Where can you add or take advantage of some opportunities for growth and development? 4️⃣ Build in time for rest: It’s hard to get unstuck when you are going full speed all. the. time. Start building in some intentional slow downs. Create the space you need to assess your life. 5️⃣ Build relationships and community: When we are overworking, we neglect our need for human connection. Where can you build in more meaningful connection? 6️⃣ Ask yourself this → If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about your current job, what would it be? Then, answer this → How can I make that happen without a magic wand? 7️⃣ Get coached. I know what it is like to look up and feel lost about where you are and how you got there. Getting coached helped me make significant changes to the way my life looked and felt (and those tools are still helping me do that every single day). ❔How are you feeling about your job and your life right now?

One of my coaching clients just called me with a career dilemma. "Marcus, I have three offers on the table. One pays $25K more than the others. It's a no brainer, right?" Wrong. Over the last decade, I've watched too many sales professionals chase the highest initial offer only to burn out, get laid off, or quit within 12 months. Why? Because they never looked at the full picture. Here's the exact decision framework I shared with him (and use myself): 1️⃣ Leadership Quality: Will your direct boss push you to grow? Will they advocate for you? Will they teach you? The quality of your leader will impact your career trajectory more than any other factor. 2️⃣ Company Trajectory: Is this company on the way up or down? What's their financial position? What's their reputation in the market? A 10% pay bump means nothing if the company does layoffs in 6 months. 3️⃣ Values Alignment: Can you authentically represent this company? Do they make decisions you respect? Will you be proud to tell people where you work? 4️⃣ Growth Ceiling: What's the highest position you could realistically achieve at this company? What skills will you develop? How marketable will you be in 3 years? 5️⃣ Work-Life Integration: Will this role support the life you want to build? Will it demand 80-hour weeks? Will it require constant travel? My client ended up taking the middle offer ($150K) because the leadership was elite, the company was growing 70% YoY, and the path to director was clear. The right career decisions compound over time. $25K might seem like a lot today, but the right leadership, skills, and trajectory can be worth millions over your career. Make decisions with the long term in mind. — Hey sales pro…are you prepping for a job interview? Lemme help you: https://lnkd.in/gQvZJZsk

Career advice we need to stop giving people: "𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻." Bad advice. You can love something and still burn out. (𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘭.) "𝗗𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘁." Also bad advice. Mastery without meaning is just a paycheck. (𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬.) Neither guarantees fulfillment. So why are we still telling people this? Real fulfillment comes from the intersection of three things: ✔ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 – Not just what excites you, but what keeps you engaged long-term. ✔ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝘁 – The skills you’ve refined, the talents that come naturally. ✔ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 – The work that fuels you instead of draining you. Passion alone won’t sustain you. Skill alone won’t fulfill you. But when you combine joy, mastery, and energy— that’s when work stops feeling like a trade-off and starts feeling like what you were meant to do. What other "career advice" do we need to leave behind this year?

Burned out. Dissatisfied. Wondering if law is still a fit. This is what I hear from many of the lawyers who reach out for coaching. Most attorneys who come to me feel stuck in one of three ways: 1️⃣ They know what they don't want (for their current work situation to continue as-is) but they're not sure what they do want. 2️⃣ For some, their work feels meaningless to them, and they long to do work that matters. 3️⃣ Others have changed practice areas or employers and are still unfulfilled and questioning whether they want to transition out of the law. Here's what I help them do: ✅ Clarify the career they want and how to get there ✅ Identify and resolve any fears or beliefs keeping them stuck ✅ Cultivate the self-compassion, mindset, and habits necessary to create a career that aligns with their authentic self ✅ Take consistent action to bring the career they want into reality One client, a lifelong high-achiever who had always followed the advice of others, began trusting her inner guidance. She left a role with an overwhelming caseload and inability to take time off for a legal job that gave her the balance she craved, including time to exercise outdoors daily, which was important to her. If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you. What’s one career decision you made because it felt deeply right to you, regardless of whether it made sense to others? #CareerAlignment #AttorneyWellbeing #InnerCompass

We all eye those exciting job openings – great roles, good pay. But for a truly happy career, I've learned that finding your fit is key. Instead of just looking at what you'll do or earn, try to dig deeper into the why and how. This isn't about salary or location. It's about whether the company truly lines up with your values and your career path. Do their values match yours? Companies talk about values, but do they live them? Look beyond their website. Check social media, read reviews. If you love teamwork, do they truly prioritize it? Will you actually grow there? A good salary means little if you're stuck. See how they support learning, mentorship, and moving up. How do they treat their people? This shows their true colors. Look for respect, inclusion, and a healthy work-life balance. Do employees seem happy on LinkedIn? What do their Glassdoor reviews say? Does their mission excite you? Beyond daily tasks, does their bigger purpose align with what you want to achieve? Believing in the mission makes work so much more rewarding. This research takes a bit of time, but it's an investment in your future happiness. It helps you ask better questions and make a smarter choice. What are your best ways to research a company's values and culture? Share your tips below! #CareerDevelopment #CompanyCulture #ValuesAlignment #JobSearch #LinkedInTips Sarinas Consulting Sarah Murphy