Different Values

I recently worked on determining two core values from this list as part of my read-along of Dr. Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead. (I did so by making a list of about 20 words from this list she provided; then I determined which two I could think of as tree trunks from which my other values could function as branches.)

My two core values, CURIOSITY and LOVE, were different than the two my wife, Mandy, settled on when she worked through the same process.

That’s great! Our different perspectives on the world support and balance each other, offering more breadth of understanding in our work together, and opportunities for growth and productive disagreement when we seek each other’s perspective.

The message is this: you don’t need to have the same values to work cohesively with others. So long as you understand and respect one another’s values, you can work together perfectly well.

Choral leaders do well to help their singers understand this: even with diverse perspectives, we can create art together.