Actions speak louder than words
I don’t have to tell you that the world is becoming increasingly complex. Go to any social media site, and your feed or reels are filled with all the ways that the world has changed. It’s hard to feel positive when you can’t predict from one hour to the next what you might see or read. I think that’s why, on a snowy winter walk yesterday, the phrase “values must be verbs” popped into my head.
In a workshop that Dr. Neil Hawkes kindly presented to the volunteers I manage for a crisis line, he spoke about organisations that have “laminated values”. Essentially, values that are nouns, not verbs.
Consider, for instance, a company that says one of its values is the environment, but a closer look shows that it regularly chooses plastic packaging over other options. As a consumer, if the environment is one of your values, you may decide to source alternatives to buy the product because the incongruence between the company's stated values feels like a betrayal.
That’s just one small example of both the power of choice and action based on values.
I think we’ve all known to a certain level that our purchasing behaviour has power, but I’m not sure yet if we fully understand how our actions, even the quiet ones, or maybe especially the quiet ones, make a difference.
When I was thinking about how to present this in an Emerging Leaders Program, I considered that one of my core values is belonging, and I realised I had a simple but pointed example of how I made that value a verb. The example is local, and yet these days could likely be duplicated in dozens of ways.
A Silent Protest Against Racism
Several years ago, a young man infected by racism chose to use his truck to run down a Muslim family. All but a young child were killed. The community, abhorred by this action, came together to stand shoulder to shoulder on the route from the scene of the murders to the mosque where the family worshipped. We stood quietly as a slow procession of cars containing extended family members of the deceased drove by. It was a solemn and poignant moment in which the message of “you are not alone, you belong, and this community does not share those sentiments.” I drove an hour to attend and stand with others to lend my support to that message.
Every day we have opportunities to live our values. To stand up and show that they are more than laminated, and that what we say we care about is worth acting upon. Beyond purchasing power is our humanity, and frankly, in what feels like very dark times, I feel that none of us can afford to ignore acting upon our values.
Simple Methods to Values-Based Action
Perhaps one of the most actionable steps you can take is to share your knowledge and your connections. I know how grateful I am for all the intelligent and motivated folks I’ve met over the years. Folks like Dr Hawkes, who continues to look for ways to improve the world via our youngest global citizens.
I appreciate the work that he is doing, and if you’re not yet familiar with Dr Hawkes Values Based Education, I strongly recommend you check into him and his foundation. Who knows how his information may spark a new vision of what’s possible for you to bring forward or to act upon.
Knowledge (others), and yours is power, and so is your ability to take a clear-eyed look in your community to consider where the gaps are and how you might be a part of filling them. We all have skills and abilities, and when you match those with at least one of your values, you might be surprised by what you come up with.
In a previous blog, I mentioned how a simple post in a local Facebook group resulted in unforeseen positive ripples, far beyond what I had anticipated. I had been seeking connection, and indeed that has happened, but it’s happened for other folks too. It seems that sometimes all it takes is one person identifying a core value, acting upon it, which then inspires others to do the same.
In the weeks that my little group has met, I’ve witnessed folks identifying their gifts and interests and choosing how to share them in the community. For instance, one member of our group decided to volunteer at a hospice to provide Reiki, another realized how much he enjoys reading aloud and is going to volunteer at a long-term care home, and another joined a service club so that she could assist with their child-centred activities.
To be effective in our lives, to truly become the best of ourselves, begins with identifying our values and then, most importantly, ensuring that our actions are guided by them. Yes, there are terrible and troubling things happening, but the way through is by doing it together. I’m convinced we can make the world a better place, and I think you’ll agree that there really is no better time to do that than right now.
