Course Outline for The Twelve Core Action Values

Transforming People through the Power of Values
Transforming Organizations through the Power of People

The Twelve Core Action Values is a 60-module course on values-based life and leadership skills. It is based upon twelve values that are universal and eternal, beginning with Authenticity and culminating in Leadership. For each of these twelve values, there are four Cornerstones that put the Action into the Value.  This systematic curriculum is the foundation of both the Values Coach online coaching courses, and the Spark Plug training that is an integral element to Strategic Values Initiatives for corporations, hospitals, and government agencies.

Core Action Values 1-6: Laying a Solid Foundation

Core Action Value #1 is Authenticity
The greatest triumph of the human spirit is to become the unique and special person you were meant to be; the greatest tragedy is to successfully pretend to be someone else.

Cornerstone #1, Self-Awareness: Use internal observation and external feedback to uncover your truest strengths and passions and the “meant to be” you.

Cornerstone #2, Self-Mastery: Stay out of the Iron Triangle of False Personality – manage your emotions, keep your ego out of the way, and pursue only authentic ambitions.

Cornerstone #3, Self-Belief: Work to strengthen each level of the Pyramid of Self-Belief: Self-Concept, Self-Image, Self-Awareness, and Self-Confidence.

Cornerstone #4, Self-Truth: Use Direction Deflection Questions to guide your attitudes and your actions to come closer to your best self in every dimension of your life.

Core Action Value #2 is Integrity
Without integrity, short-term winners inevitably become long-term losers. Integrity is the foundation of trust and respect.

Cornerstone #1, Honesty: Be absolutely honest – especially with yourself.  Genuine honesty is more than just not telling lies – it is living the truth.

Cornerstone #2, Reliability:  Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it, and do it to the best of your ability.

Cornerstone #3, Humility:  Virtually every failure of integrity begins with arrogance on the part of those responsible; humility is an essential ingredient of effective leadership.

Cornerstone #4, Stewardship:  Honor the obligation to be a good steward of your own resources, the resources of your organization, and of the fragile world in which we live.

Core Action Value #3 is Awareness
If you’re not enjoying the journey, the destination will be a disappointment. Awareness is the ultimate essence of emotional intelligence.

Cornerstone #1, Mindfulness:  Inner awareness underlies “the miracle of mindfulness” and “the peace of God that passes all understanding” in the world’s scriptural literature.

Cornerstone #2, Objectivity:  See the world as it really is, not as it used to be, as you wish it were, or as you fear it might be.

Cornerstone #3, Empathy:  The ability to read another person’s emotions, and to put yourself into their shoes rather than simply reacting out of your own emotions, is the highest form of emotional intelligence.

Cornerstone #4, Reflection:  Make sure to make time for yourself - for asking yourself the important questions, and for observing the dominating patterns in your life.

Core Action Value #4 is Courage
Fear is a natural, hardwired human emotion. You cannot conquer fear; you cannot drive it out of the workplace. The secret is to make fear your ally and not allow it to be your enemy.

Cornerstone #1, Confrontation:  Distinguish between anxiety, fear and worry.  Give fear a name and it becomes just a problem; it’s easier to solve problems than it is to conquer fear.

Cornerstone #2, Transformation:  The symptoms of terror and exhilaration are identical; it’s the interpretation that makes the difference: does fear paralyze you or does it catalyze you?

Cornerstone #3, Action:  Fear is a cowardly emotion; it retreats in the face of determined action. Action transforms fear from emotional molasses to emotional jet fuel.

Cornerstone #4, Connection:  Fears shrink when confronted by friends. As anyone who has ever participated in a support group knows, a sense of being connected with others is a powerful antidote to anxiety, fear and worry.

Core Action Value #5 is Perseverance
Every magnificent accomplishment was once the “impossible” dream of a dreamer who simply refused to quit when the going got tough.  If courage is a decision, perseverance is making that decision day after day after day.

Cornerstone #1, Preparation:  Adversity can be anticipated in general but not in specific, so prepare the way a fire department trains - getting ready for whatever might happen.

Cornerstone #2, Perspective:  Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times depends upon what you choose to see. Choose to have a positive perspective.

Cornerstone #3, Toughness:  Internalize a spirit of contrarian toughness by internalizing the TGAoT (Thank God Ahead of Time) philosophy for dealing with adversity.

Cornerstone #4, Learning:  Life’s most important lessons, greatest opportunities, and most cherished friendships are most often formed during times of adversity.

Core Action Values 7-12: Taking Effective Action

Core Action Value #6 is Faith
Throughout history, faith has been a powerful source of strength and solace for humans, a power that transcends specific religious beliefs and practices (or their absence). Faith begins at the point where certainty ends.

Cornerstone #1, Gratitude: Complaining is the anti-prayer - whining about blessings that have not (yet) showed up rather than being thankful for those that have.

-Cornerstone #2, Forgiveness:  The real beneficiary of forgiveness is not the one who is being forgiven, it’s the one who is doing the forgiving.

Cornerstone #3, Love:  The Beatles were right: there’s nothing you can do that can’t be done and there’s no one you can save that can’t be saved - all you need is love.

Cornerstone #4, Spirituality:  People who really do believe that whoever dies with the most toys wins end up being the biggest losers in life.

Core Action Value #7 is Purpose
Someone with a job is never secure; someone with a calling is never unemployed. The work a person chooses to do, and how they choose to do it, is a key determinant of who they become.

Cornerstone #1, Aspiration:  Purposeful people aspire to work that gives them a personal sense of meaning, and to making their corner of the world a better place.

Cornerstone #2, Intentionality:  Positive thinking is planning and working to achieve your goals; wishful thinking is hoping and waiting for someone else to make it happen.

Cornerstone #3, Selflessness:  People inspired with a sense of purpose rise above “what’s in it for me?” thinking and commit themselves to a larger good.

Cornerstone #4, Balance:  Purpose as a value means being purposeful in every dimension of life, not just in the work you do – also family, community, hobbies, and personal growth.

Core Action Value #8 is Vision
Humans are the only creature that can see something in the mind’s eye that is invisible to the outside world. Cherish this God-given gift - cultivate it, use it to create your ideal future.

Cornerstone #1, Attention:  What you choose to give your attention to will create the platform upon which you create your future vision - choose wisely.

Cornerstone #2, Imagination:  Visualization is the verb that precedes the noun of vision; don’t abuse your imagination with fantasy and worry; rather use it to create memories of the future.

Cornerstone #3, Articulation:  Before it can become reality, a vision must be articulated in such a way as to inspire passion and confidence in those who must bring it about.

Cornerstone #4, Belief:  Belief is a force of nature. All achievement begins in the mind of someone who believes in the possibilities.

Core Action Value #9 is Focus
The One Big YES requires lots of little No’s. Focus is an essential ingredient for effectiveness, whether in your career or hobbies, your financial situation, or your personal happiness.

Cornerstone #1, Target:  Be clear about what you really want, and don’t waste time, energy and money chasing things you really don’t want.

Cornerstone #2, Concentration:  When you are clear about what you want, concentrate all of your resources - time, money, and energy - on that goal.

Cornerstone #3, Speed:  Cultivate a sense of urgency for achieving your key goals, and move decisively to take the actions required for their achievement.

Cornerstone #4, Momentum:  It is much easier and more productive to keep yourself moving in a desired direction than it is to keep starting, stopping, and redirecting, so maintain your physical, emotional, and spiritual momentum.

Core Action Value #10 is Enthusiasm
Ralph Waldo Emerson said “nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm” and that is a law of the universe!  It applies to organizations, and it also applies to families and to your personal life.

Cornerstone #1, Attitude: Positive attitudes create self-fulfilling expectations for success and happiness; negative attitudes create self-fulfilling expectations of failure and misery.

Cornerstone #2, Energy:  Energy is life, and more than many of us will admit, whether or not we have energy is a decision we make, not a physical state of being.

Cornerstone #3, Curiosity:  Enthusiastic people are curious, and their quest for knowledge and understanding helps to fuel their vision for the future; one of the best ways to is to ask more and better questions (and to ask more dumb questions).

Cornerstone #4, Humor:  It’s true that humor is good medicine, but people with a sense of humor are also happier and more successful.  Fortunately, you can cultivate a funny bone.

Core Action Value #11 is Service
Whatever you most need in life, the best way for you to get it is to help someone else get it who needs it even more than you do.

Cornerstone #1, Helpfulness:  It’s important that you reach out to help others, but even more important is the spirit in which you provide that help.

Cornerstone #2, Charity:  It is a good thing to donate money to worthwhile causes, and even better to donate your time and energy.

Cornerstone #3, Compassion:  Look beneath external appearances and circumstances to perceive the reality of the human being beneath those superficialities.

Cornerstone #4, Renewal:  Take care of yourself and ask for help when you need it, because you cannot pour out of an empty pitcher.

Core Action Value #12 is Leadership
Management is a job description; leadership is a life decision.  And in today’s complex world, organizations need leadership in every corner, not just in the corner office.  When leadership becomes an attitude and a way of life, not just something that’s a part of your job description, it becomes a value in its own right.

Cornerstone #1, Expectations:  A leader is someone who takes you to a different and better place, and by definition that means having high expectations of self and others.

Cornerstone #2, Example: To assume a leadership responsibility is to give up many freedoms, because leaders speak more forcefully by who they are than by what they say.

Cornerstone #3, Encouragement:  An important duty of leadership is to create an environment where people work together with a spirit of pride, collegiality, and friendship.

Cornerstone #4, Celebration:  Leaders foster teamwork, community, and a spirit of fellowship by celebrating personal and group achievements - and good faith failures.