Chief Change Officer Podcast Summary
Episode: Life GPS: Robert MacPhee on Values-Based Living — Part One
Host: Vince Chan
Guest: Robert MacPhee
Release Date: February 5, 2025
Introduction
In the premier episode of the Life GPS series, host Vince Chan welcomes Robert MacPhee, author of Living a Values Based Life and creator of the Excellent Decisions leadership model. This two-part discussion delves into the essence of personal values, their significance in shaping fulfilling careers and lives, and the challenges individuals face in identifying and living by their core values.
Guest's Background and Journey
Robert MacPhee shares his entrepreneurial beginnings, co-founding a successful parking company post-college. His passion for training and developing people led him to transition into full-time training and development roles, notably spending nearly a decade working alongside Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. This experience inspired MacPhee to develop the Excellent Decisions model, emphasizing decision-making anchored in personal vision and values.
Defining Values
[05:47] Robert MacPhee:
"Values are what is most important to us. If we are clear about the areas of our life that matter and how we want to be in the world, it fundamentally changes our life."
MacPhee defines values as the core principles that guide our behavior and decision-making. He emphasizes that understanding one's highest values prevents living under others' agendas, fostering genuine happiness and success.
Categories of Values: Priorities and Ways of Being
MacPhee introduces a dual categorization of values:
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Priorities:
These are the areas of life where we invest our time and energy to create desired outcomes. MacPhee illustrates this by asking individuals to envision their ideal life and identify what they prioritize most, such as relationships, health, or career.[08:25] Robert MacPhee:
"Priorities are the areas of our life where we put our time and attention to create the ideal life we want to live." -
Ways of Being:
These encompass the qualities and characteristics we strive to embody in our interactions and how we wish to be perceived by others. Examples include honesty, kindness, and humility.[11:XX] Robert MacPhee:
"Ways of being are the qualities and characteristics—the way we want to show up in the world and be remembered by others."
Examples of Values in Action
MacPhee shares personal values such as kindness, humility, and the ability to remain peaceful and calm amid chaos. He highlights that while honesty is a common value, individuals may prioritize other qualities higher based on their personal journeys.
[12:38] Robert MacPhee:
"Once you're clear about what's most important to you, making changes becomes much easier. It's like having a target or a compass guiding you."
Impact of Clarifying Values: Stories and Transformations
Through coaching experiences, MacPhee illustrates the transformative power of identifying and aligning with one's values:
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Personal Transformation:
A workshop participant prioritized her health and fitness, leading her to lose 35 pounds in seven weeks by aligning her actions with her newly clarified values.[13:36] Robert MacPhee:
"She merely started doing what people who prioritize their health and fitness do—exercising, eating better—and the results were remarkable." -
Professional Transformation:
A construction company engaged in concrete recycling embraced values beyond their primary operations. By focusing on innovation, creating opportunities for employees, and committing to being "dust free," they fostered a more engaged and community-focused workforce.[20:29] Robert MacPhee:
"'Dust free' was a manifestation of their commitment to being good neighbors and contributing positively to their community."
Challenges in Identifying Values
Host Vince Chan probes into why many individuals struggle to identify their values. MacPhee attributes this to the lack of formal education on value identification and the pervasive influence of societal expectations.
[22:07] Robert MacPhee:
"Most people aren't taught how to explore and identify their highest values. Without this clarity, we're navigating the world with our hands over our eyes."
Importance of Values in Personal and Professional Life
MacPhee underscores that understanding personal values leads to greater engagement and fulfillment both personally and professionally. He contrasts superficial organizational values with genuine personal alignment, illustrating how the latter drives true engagement.
[27:32] Robert MacPhee:
"Engagement comes not from alignment with organizational values but from being clear about your own highest values."
He provides a personal anecdote about his daughter, whose shift to a research company aligned with her values of contributing to meaningful causes, resulting in greater job satisfaction despite a slight pay cut.
[30:34] Robert MacPhee:
"She's more motivated because her work aligns with her personal values of helping others and contributing to significant causes."
Key Insights and Notable Quotes
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Clarity of Values Drives Action:
"When people get really clear about what's most important to them, their why becomes compelling, making it easier to take action."
— Robert MacPhee [13:36] -
Values vs. External Influences:
"Without knowing your own values, you might be living according to someone else's agenda."
— Robert MacPhee [07:15] -
Organizational Values Must Be Genuine:
"Flowery words on a wall mean nothing if the company's actions don't align with those values."
— Robert MacPhee [27:32]
Conclusion
In this first part of the Life GPS series, Vince Chan and Robert MacPhee explore the foundational role of values in personal fulfillment and professional success. They highlight the necessity of introspection and deliberate identification of values to navigate life's complexities authentically. Part Two promises to delve deeper into making values visible and sustainable amid a rapidly changing world.
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