Podcast Summary: Chief Change Officer #273
Guest: Robert MacPhee
Title: Clarity, Chicken Soup, and a Midlife U-Turn — Part One
Release Date: April 4, 2025

Introduction

In episode #273 of Chief Change Officer, host Vince Chen engages in a profound conversation with Robert MacPhee, the author of Living a Values Based Life and the creator of the leadership model Excellent Decisions. This two-part series delves into the essence of personal values, their significance in leading fulfilling lives and careers, and the challenges in identifying and aligning them within a constantly evolving world.

Robert MacPhee’s Background and Journey

Robert MacPhee begins by sharing his entrepreneurial roots, having co-founded a parking company post-college. His passion for training, development, and cultivating a positive organizational culture led him to transition into a dedicated training and development role. A pivotal moment in his career was his decade-long mentorship under Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which inspired him to develop the Excellent Decisions model focused on making decisions grounded in personal vision and values.

Robert MacPhee [04:59]:
“...if that vision isn't aligned with your values, then it's not going to take you where you really want to go.”

Understanding Values

When Vince probes deeper into Robert's definition of values, Robert emphasizes that values represent what is most important to an individual. They dictate how one wishes to "show up in the world," influencing both personal and professional realms.

Robert MacPhee [07:06]:
“Our values are what is most important to us... if you don't know what your own highest values are, then chances are you're living your life in alignment with someone else's values.”

He distinguishes between two categories of values:

1. Priorities: The areas of life where one allocates the most time and energy (e.g., relationships, health, contribution).
2. Ways of Being: The qualities and characteristics one aspires to embody (e.g., kindness, humility, honesty).

Examples of Values in Actions

Robert shares compelling stories illustrating the transformative power of clarifying and aligning with personal values:

1. Personal Transformation:
   In a virtual workshop, a participant identified health and fitness as her top priority, leading her to lose 35 pounds in seven weeks by aligning her actions with her newly clarified values.

   Robert MacPhee [16:08]:
   “...she got into action before we even got to that session. And she simply started doing the things that people who prioritize their health and fitness do.”

2. Organizational Alignment:
   Robert recounts working with a concrete recycling company whose leadership team discovered values beyond their basic operations. They emphasized innovation, opportunity creation for employees, and community contribution, leading to enhanced team morale and community relations. A standout value was “dust free,” symbolizing their commitment to being good neighbors despite the inherently messy nature of their work.

   Robert MacPhee [22:55]:
   “Dust free was really a manifestation of their commitment to being a good neighbor, to being a contributor to their community rather than just a nuisance.”

Challenges in Identifying Values

Despite their importance, many individuals struggle to identify their core values. Robert attributes this to:

• Lack of Education: Values exploration is seldom taught formally in schools or family settings.
• External Influences: Societal pressures and the constant influx of messages from media and peers can obscure personal values.
• Complexity and Depth: Values are often perceived as abstract, making them difficult to articulate without guided reflection.

Robert MacPhee [24:39]:
“It's generally not taught in the places that we most learn things... exploring and really tapping into what their highest values are is not always an easy thing to do.”

Importance of Values Alignment in the Workplace

Robert underscores that true employee engagement stems from the alignment between personal values and personal awareness, rather than merely mirroring organizational values. When individuals understand and prioritize their own values, they naturally gravitate towards environments and roles that resonate with their intrinsic motivations.

He shares a personal anecdote about his daughter, a brilliant data scientist who chose to work for a company focused on AIDS and cancer research over a higher-paying large corporation. Her decision was driven by her values of making meaningful contributions, leading to greater job satisfaction and motivation despite a potential pay cut.

Robert MacPhee [28:10]:
“If an employee gets clear about their own values... that's where the real engagement comes from.”

Additionally, Robert highlights the potential pitfalls of organizational values that lack genuine behavioral alignment, noting that superficial or unorthodox value declarations can backfire if not embodied in actual practices.

Conclusion and Teaser for Part Two

As the episode wraps up, Vince and Robert reflect on the transformative impact of values clarity. They tease the upcoming second part of the series, which will explore strategies to make personal values more visible and sustainable amidst the noise and chaos of modern life.

Vince Chen [33:06]:
"In Part two, we'll explore how to make our values more visible and sustainable in a world that is constantly changing and noisy."

Listeners are encouraged to subscribe, leave reviews, and follow the podcast on various platforms to continue their journey of personal and professional transformation.

Key Takeaways

• Values Clarification: Understanding and articulating personal values is foundational to making aligned decisions and leading a fulfilling life.
• Priorities vs. Ways of Being: Differentiating between what you prioritize and how you wish to embody those priorities enhances clarity.
• Impact on Behavior: Clear values drive meaningful actions and lead to significant personal and organizational transformations.
• Educational Gap: There is a need for more formal structures and opportunities to explore and define personal values.
• Workplace Alignment: True engagement in the workplace arises from personal value clarity rather than superficial organizational value statements.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Robert MacPhee [04:59]:
  “...if that vision isn't aligned with your values, then it's not going to take you where you really want to go.”

• Robert MacPhee [07:06]:
  “Our values are what is most important to us... if you don't know what your own highest values are, then chances are you're living your life in alignment with someone else's values.”

• Robert MacPhee [16:08]:
  “...she got into action before we even got to that session. And she simply started doing the things that people who prioritize their health and fitness do.”

• Robert MacPhee [22:55]:
  “Dust free was really a manifestation of their commitment to being a good neighbor, to being a contributor to their community rather than just a nuisance.”

• Robert MacPhee [24:39]:
  “It's generally not taught in the places that we most learn things... exploring and really tapping into what their highest values are is not always an easy thing to do.”

• Robert MacPhee [28:10]:
  “If an employee gets clear about their own values... that's where the real engagement comes from.”

This episode serves as a vital guide for listeners aspiring to become their own Chief Change Officers, encouraging introspection and proactive alignment of personal values with daily actions and career choices.