MOST Analysis

Mission Statement

Finding a balance between life and work can be extremely challenging. The only way to navigate this effectively is to be grounded in your values and have clarity around your priorities. During this workshop, we will guide you through a process of identifying your values and narrowing them down to your “core values” and how to get clear on your priorities, so you can live joyfully, be more productive and make a bigger impact. You will get to discover how you can be an inspiration to others, how you can make a meaningful, powerful, and lasting contribution to humanity by serving a greater cause than your own – this is the legacy you can leave others.

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Objectives

1. Defining Values – Our values are the standards by which we live by – the things that you hold dear in your daily life and work. They (should) determine our priorities, and they’re probably the indicators we use to see if our life is going the way we want it to. When our actions and behaviors reflect our values, life is usually good – we’re satisfied and content. However, when these do not align with our personal values, things feel… off. This can be a major source of dissatisfaction. In this course we uncover how to define your values so that our decisions moving forward can align with them allowing for harmony and joy.
2. Your Why – Our why is what defines us. It is what drives us and motivates us every single day. d. It makes you the best person we can be. In this course we will clarify our why and how to use it as a guide for happiness.
3. Passion vs. Purpose – In this lesson we will take a look at the difference between passion and purpose. Our passion fuels us and is personal our purpose bigger than ourselves and is about serving others. Having a purpose in life is associated with all kinds of benefits. Research suggests that purpose is tied to having better health, longevity, and even financial success. It feels good to have a sense of purpose, knowing that you are using your skills to help others in a way that matters to you. This lesson allows you to reveal your purpose.
4. Prioritizing Priorities – Having a system in place to identify our priorities in our lives and at work is essential. For most people, their priorities are in a constant state of flux, shifting with the various demands that crop up on a daily basis. In order to prioritize your daily tasks effectively, you’ll need a clear picture of the bigger goals and values in your life. In this course we will go through a highly effective process to map out our priorities so we can be more productive and fulfilled.
5. Personal Boundaries – Once we have identified our values and priorities it is crucial to create boundaries to honor and protect them. In order to become an expert at setting and being comfortable with personal boundaries, you have to practice. Luckily, in this course we have 9 amazing ways for you to get started and to start reclaiming your own life with establishing clear personal boundaries.
6. Relationship Boundaries – Boundaries in relationships can help us by enhancing our sense of self. They enable us to separate our identity, feelings, and needs from those of our partners, family, friends, and colleagues. Boundaries aid in the development of healthy relationships by outlining needs and respecting limits. In this course we will take a deep dive into how to create boundaries in all of your relationships.
7. Workplace Boundaries – Many professional women especially millennials have found themselves in a precarious position as a result of corporate oppression, professional duress, and social anxiety. All we can do for the time being is maintain a healthy boundary so they can avoid overwork, burnout, and stress. Setting professional boundaries at work entails developing healthy professional practices for yourself. These boundaries can often help you stay productive and happy at work while also allowing you to better separate your work and personal lives. Learn exactly how to do this in this powerful course.
8. Yes or No – Knowing when to say Yes and when to say know can be difficult at times. In this course, we will reveal some guidelines you can follow to help make your decision easily and confidently.
9. Success Environment – Is your workplace designed for success? You may not realize it, but your surroundings play a significant role in your success. Your surroundings and what (or who) occupies those surroundings comprise your environment. Setting up your environment for success will make it much easier to embrace new opportunities and drive true success for yourself, your business, and your future. Find out exactly how in this riveting lesson.
10. Workplace Habits – Successful people frequently attribute their success to specific habits. Some actions, when practiced on a daily basis, can assist us in maintaining focus and completing workplace tasks. In this course, we will look at six examples of good workplace habits that we can cultivate in order to be more productive and advance in our careers.
11. Finding Fulfillment – Each individual has their own path, their own definition of happiness. Work is what we spend the majority of our adult lives doing. It is important to make sure that your work allows you to utilize your gifts and talents as well as meet your financial goals. In this course we will cover the 4 pillars to find fulfillment in life and the key steps to finding fulfillment at work.
12. Making a Difference – Many people believe that they lack the ability to make a difference in the world. The truth is that each of us has been placed in this world to contribute and make a difference in our own unique way. It doesn’t have to be anything out of the ordinary. It simply has to be something you do with the intention of ‘doing good.’ In this course we reveal ways that you can make a difference in the world by being uniquely you!

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Strategies

1. Learn and implement the steps to defining one’s values and then narrowing them down to 3 core values.
2. Process to discover our Why, what motivates us then, creating our Why Statement.
3. Discover 7 strategies to finding our purpose. Including an activity to build team cohesiveness and creative thinking.
4. Learn keys to prioritize our priorities.
5. Adopt tips in setting personal boundaries to honor and protect our priorities.
6. Learn powerful ways to identify and then separate our feelings and needs from our partner, family, friends, and colleagues by setting relationship boundaries.
7. Develop healthy professional practices by setting workplace boundaries.
8. Guidelines to knowing when to say Yes or No.
9. Steps to create our environment for success including selecting a business bestie.
10. Cultivating success habits to become more productive and advance our careers.
11. Implement the 4 pillars to find fulfillment life and 7 key steps to finding fulfillment at work.
12. Identify ways to give back and make an action plan to facilitate it.

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Tasks

1. Go through the Study Guide and Distance Learning lessons first and make notes.
2. Identify the key relationships that need to be managed to ensure project success.
3. Determine needs, critical drivers, concerns, and interests for each relationship.
4. Ensure that these relationships are built and maintained on a regular basis, by soliciting ideas, comments, and assessing value.
5. Schedule a meeting for the participants to meet and discuss the workshop within 30 days
6. Participants to share expectations and feedback during the workshop.
7. Set a deadline for determining and analyzing the time commitment for each of the participants.
8. Participants to demonstrate personal presence, get feedback, and make a plan for further development.
9. Participants to experience the challenges of change and apply learnings to the philosophy of leading change.
10. Participants are to complete each exercise fully, actively participate in all of the group exercises and be willing to discuss the process and results with the group.
11. Participants to complete their project by identifying and implementing changes discussed throughout the workshop.
12. Participants to review resources for inspiration and identify at least one new tool for adoption from the provided list.

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Introduction

In the Values and Priorities workshop we dive deep into how clarifying our values and establishing what our priorities are can change our life for the better. It allows us to live a life of integrity and fulfillment.

Values are words that embody what is important to us, providing an answer to the question “What do I value most in my life?” Here is a great definition:

Values are the characteristics of a fully lived life from the inside out.

Even if they are complex and intangible higher-level functions, they are our personal rules and standards. They frequently reflect our views on what is good and bad, right, and wrong. Similarly, they guide our every decision, and their satisfaction or violation can elicit strong emotional reactions.

According to Tony Robbins, values “are like a compass that directs your life.” They motivate and demotivate, and they justify behavior. They frequently refer to emotional states:

• happy
• satisfied
• successful
• compassionate
• loving
• fulfilled

These are our “must-haves” in life, because when we live according to what we most value, we can see that this is the foundation for our beliefs. When our choices are in sync, we experience congruence – “life is good” – and are fulfilled. If we do not meet this standard, we may become angry, fearful, or sad.

We can prioritize our values into core values by selecting our top 3 values. Having the right core values can help us make better decisions, be more productive, achieve more, and, perhaps most importantly, love and be loved. They’re quite significant. And studies have shown that core values have a slew of other advantages.

Priorities are the things that matter to us most. In this workshop, we uncover a powerful process to start identifying our priorities. To effectively manage our time and know what matters while progressing toward your goals, we must have a clear list of priorities. If we take on too many tasks on a regular basis, you may eventually become stressed.

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History

Values are so deeply ingrained in our language, thought, and behavior patterns that philosophers have been fascinated by them for over a thousand years. Nonetheless, they have proven to be so quick-silvery” and complex that, despite their crucial role in human motivation, we are still horribly ignorant of the laws that govern them. (Toffler, 1969)

One of the most perplexing anomalies in the field of consumer research has been the lack of focus on human values. This is especially perplexing given that most serious students of human behavior have long argued that values play an important role in personal, social, and cultural activity. When attitude researchers have used the term “values,” it has frequently been confused with the concept of product attributes. While a few recent studies have found a significant relationship between values and consumer behavior (Scott and Lamont, 1972; Vinson and Munson, 1976; Henry, 1976; Vinson, Scott, and Lamont, 1977), consumer researchers have generally taken a hands-off approach to the value construct.

Marketing practitioners have become highly skilled at creating advertising and mass communication appeals that include allusions to important human values. Indeed, we would argue that marketing appeals have historically been highly value oriented. These individuals to understand what most marketing academics do not: human values play an important role in consumer behavior.

What could account for the disparity between what marketers do and what academics study? One plausible explanation is that academics have almost entirely focused their attention and technical skills on consumers’ more rational beliefs about tangible product attributes and marketing characteristics such as color, price, taste, and availability. A counterargument, but much less widely held, is that practitioners may have forged ahead for years. According to attitude studies, practitioners are appealing to deep, emotion-laden values and providing powerful stimulation to sales.

Maslow advanced his hierarchical groupings of needs in the mid-1950s into those concerned with safety, security, love, self-esteem, and self-actualization (Maslow, 1954). Morris (Handy, 1970) discussed value theory in depth and created a list of thirteen “ways to live,” which were conceptions of the good life that respondents were asked to rate in terms of liking.

If we go back in time, specifically to the 14th century, we can find the first use of the Middle French and Latin equivalent of priority word.

Late 14c., prioritie, “state of being earlier (than something else), prior occurrence or existence,” from Old French priorite (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prioritatem (nominative prioritas) “fact or condition of being prior” (source also of Spanish prioridad), from Latin prior (see prior (adj.).

From c. 1400 as “precedence in right, place, or rank.” In 1897 Century, Dictionary wrote “Priority is the state or fact of coming first in order of time; what little use it has beyond this meaning is only a figurative extension,” but in 20c. the sense shifted toward “fact or condition of coming first in importance or requiring immediate attention; thing regarded as more important than another or others.” Wyclif (early 15c.) renders prioritas into (Middle) English as furtherhead.

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Current Position

Today, there has been a large emphasis on the importance of understanding our own personal values and identifying our priorities in order to live a happy life.

In marketing literature, there are numerous indications of a growing interest in personal values, as opposed to product and marketing attributes. The “Second Washington Social Indicators Conference to Explore Business Response to New Values” is one example (Marketing News, 1973). Furthermore, there appears to be a growing body of research on the subject.

Scott and Lamont (1972) demonstrated that global values, product evaluative and descriptive beliefs, and domain-specific values are three distinct but cognitively related variables. Along the Kluckhohn-Strodtbeck lines, Henry (1976) finds significant associations between automobile ownership and personal value orientations. Vinson, Scott, and Lamont (1977) extend Rokeach’s paradigm by seeing values as existing at two distinct levels.

The first level of values, known as “global” values, includes both instrumental and terminal values. The second level is concerned with values that refer to desired product attributes as well as market transactions and behaviors. They are cognitively separate but related to global values, as well as descriptive and evaluative beliefs, and are referred to as “market-specific” or “domain-specific” values.

Any object of interest to a consumer may be defined as a consumer value if it meets the criteria outlined above. It can include any generalized person-centered end-state of existence, mode of behavior, pattern of ideas, grouping of people, biological condition, or direct benefit that is highly valued by the consumer or perceived to be valued by others important to him. He employs it as a criterion for assessing a wide range of other values, objects, activities, and people. It is a long-lasting belief shared by the consumer and many, but not all, other members of his subculture or society. It is acquired and modified early in life through personal, social, and cultural learning, and it plays a critical role in his decision-making.

The concept of priorities is widely used in our day-to-day corporate world, and thus in our personal lives. The issue is that we are losing our ability to discern what is truly important and trying to bend reality as if we could handle more than one priority task at the same time, or perhaps we do not want to appear careless about a task that is currently not a priority. So, our brilliant idea is to label all of our activities as “priority xyz tasks.”

It turns out that it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to make trade-offs between options that appear to be all “priorities.” So, we unconsciously try to do everything, and the result is overwhelm. That is why it is essential to have a proven process to identify clear priorities one at time and develop a plan to accomplish each task.

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Future Outlook

When we consider our values in all things especially in decision making, we can be sure to remain in integrity and be in alignment with what we know is right. We will approach decisions with clarity and confidence knowing that we’re making the best choice for our current situation.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” – Mahatma Ghandi

Making decisions based on our values is not always easy, but it is always right. Identifying and understanding our values is a challenging yet important exercise. Our values are a central part of who we are and who we want to become. Becoming more aware of these important factors in our life, will allow us to use them as a guide to make the best choice in any situation. Some of life’s most difficult decisions are really about determining what we value most. When many options seem reasonable, it’s helpful and comforting to rely on our values and to use them as a strong guiding force to point us in the right direction.

When we’re getting clear on who we want to work with and how we want to serve them, it is necessary to base this on our priorities and our values to remain in integrity and be fulfilled through our work.

Putting our priorities and values first, in everything you do, will allow us to live a life of joy, abundance and peace.

Creating boundaries in all areas of our lives will allow us to honor and protect what we hold dear.

Successful leaders must be passionate about what they do, what they want to do, and why they want to do it. This will propel us towards a goal even when it appears impossible, but this is only true for those who lack passion.

Making sure our values and priorities are considered in everything we do and having a system to identify honor and protect them is crucial to our success as a human and a professional.

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Executive Summary

Clarifying our values and establishing what our priorities are can change our life for the better allowing us to live a life of integrity and fulfillment. Values are our personal rules and standards. They frequently reflect our views on what is good and bad, right, and wrong. Similarly, they guide our every decision, and their satisfaction or violation can elicit strong emotional reactions. When we get clear on what our values are we can use them to guide us in life and help in our decision making.

Priorities are the things that are most important to you. This workshop will teach a powerful process for identifying our priorities. We must have a clear list of priorities in order to effectively manage our time and know what matters while progressing toward our goals. It is common to become stressed if we take on too many tasks on a regular basis.

Setting boundaries in all aspects of our lives will allow us to honor and protect what is important to us.

When we are clear on our values, our passion, our why and our priorities we become unstoppable.

There are 12 courses (or focus areas) in the Values and Priorities Workshop.

Here they are:

1. Defining Values – Our values are the standards by which we live by – the things that you hold dear in your daily life and work. They (should) determine our priorities, and they’re probably the indicators we use to see if our life is going the way we want it to. When our actions and behaviors reflect our values, life is usually good – we’re satisfied and content. However, when these do not align with our personal values, things feel… off. This can be a major source of dissatisfaction. In this course we uncover how to define your values so that our decisions moving forward can align with them allowing for harmony and joy.

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2. Your Why – Our why is what defines us. It is what drives us and motivates us every single day. d. It makes you the best person we can be. In this course we will clarify our why and how to use it as a guide for happiness.

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3. Passion vs. Purpose – In this lesson we will take a look at the difference between passion and purpose. Our passion fuels us and is personal our purpose bigger than ourselves and is about serving others. Having a purpose in life is associated with all kinds of benefits. Research suggests that purpose is tied to having better health, longevity, and even financial success. It feels good to have a sense of purpose, knowing that you are using your skills to help others in a way that matters to you. This lesson allows you to reveal your purpose.

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4. Prioritizing Priorities – Having a system in place to identify our priorities in our lives and at work is essential. For most people, their priorities are in a constant state of flux, shifting with the various demands that crop up on a daily basis. In order to prioritize your daily tasks effectively, you’ll need a clear picture of the bigger goals and values in your life. In this course we will go through a highly effective process to map out our priorities so we can be more productive and fulfilled.

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5. Personal Boundaries – Once we have identified our values and priorities it is crucial to create boundaries to honor and protect them. In order to become an expert at setting and being comfortable with personal boundaries, you have to practice. Luckily, in this course we have 9 amazing ways for you to get started and to start reclaiming your own life with establishing clear personal boundaries.

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6. Relationship Boundaries – Boundaries in relationships can help us by enhancing our sense of self. They enable us to separate our identity, feelings, and needs from those of our partners, family, friends, and colleagues. Boundaries aid in the development of healthy relationships by outlining needs and respecting limits. In this course we will take a deep dive into how to create boundaries in all of your relationships.

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7. Workplace Boundaries – Many professional women especially millennials have found themselves in a precarious position as a result of corporate oppression, professional duress, and social anxiety. All we can do for the time being is maintain a healthy boundary so they can avoid overwork, burnout, and stress. Setting professional boundaries at work entails developing healthy professional practices for yourself. These boundaries can often help you stay productive and happy at work while also allowing you to better separate your work and personal lives. Learn exactly how to do this in this powerful course.

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8. Yes or No – Knowing when to say Yes and when to say know can be difficult at times. In this course, we will reveal some guidelines you can follow to help make your decision easily and confidently.

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9. Success Environment – Is your workplace designed for success? You may not realize it, but your surroundings play a significant role in your success. Your surroundings and what (or who) occupies those surroundings comprise your environment. Setting up your environment for success will make it much easier to embrace new opportunities and drive true success for yourself, your business, and your future. Find out exactly how in this riveting lesson.

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10. Workplace Habits – Successful people frequently attribute their success to specific habits. Some actions, when practiced on a daily basis, can assist us in maintaining focus and completing workplace tasks. In this course, we will look at six examples of good workplace habits that we can cultivate in order to be more productive and advance in our careers.

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11. Finding Fulfillment – Each individual has their own path, their own definition of happiness. Work is what we spend the majority of our adult lives doing. It is important to make sure that your work allows you to utilize your gifts and talents as well as meet your financial goals. In this course we will cover the 4 pillars to find fulfillment in life and the key steps to finding fulfillment at work.

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12. Making a Difference – Many people believe that they lack the ability to make a difference in the world. The truth is that each of us has been placed in this world to contribute and make a difference in our own unique way. It doesn’t have to be anything out of the ordinary. It simply has to be something you do with the intention of ‘doing good.’ In this course we reveal ways that you can make a difference in the world by being uniquely you!

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Impact for Positive Change

At the conclusion of each workshop, we will focus our collective attention on how you, as a leader, will put what we’ve learned into practice in your business. Impact for positive change means putting what you’ve learned into practice and taking action to make a significant difference. That starts with a strong desire to change and reflection on what you’re going to do differently. It’s also crucial to consider how you’ll involve people in your organization in the discussion about what you’ve learnt and make requests for what you need from them in order to succeed. Not only will your formal team be involved, but so will your cross-functional colleagues. How will you be collaborating to ensure all the women in your company have everything they need to succeed?

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Curriculum

Women Empowerment – Workshop 3 – Values & Priorities

1. Defining Values
2. Your Why
3. Passion vs. Purpose
4. Prioritizing Priorities
5. Personal Boundaries
6. Relationship Boundaries
7. Workplace Boundaries
8. Yes or No
9. Success Environment
10. Workplace Habits
11. Finding Fulfillment
12. Making a Difference

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Distance Learning

Introduction

Welcome to Appleton Greene and thank you for enrolling on the Women Empowerment corporate training program. You will be learning through our unique facilitation via distance-learning method, which will enable you to practically implement everything that you learn academically. The methods and materials used in your program have been designed and developed to ensure that you derive the maximum benefits and enjoyment possible. We hope that you find the program challenging and fun to do. However, if you have never been a distance-learner before, you may be experiencing some trepidation at the task before you. So we will get you started by giving you some basic information and guidance on how you can make the best use of the modules, how you should manage the materials and what you should be doing as you work through them. This guide is designed to point you in the right direction and help you to become an effective distance-learner. Take a few hours or so to study this guide and your guide to tutorial support for students, while making notes, before you start to study in earnest.

Study environment

You will need to locate a quiet and private place to study, preferably a room where you can easily be isolated from external disturbances or distractions. Make sure the room is well-lit and incorporates a relaxed, pleasant feel. If you can spoil yourself within your study environment, you will have much more of a chance to ensure that you are always in the right frame of mind when you do devote time to study. For example, a nice fire, the ability to play soft soothing background music, soft but effective lighting, perhaps a nice view if possible and a good size desk with a comfortable chair. Make sure that your family know when you are studying and understand your study rules. Your study environment is very important. The ideal situation, if at all possible, is to have a separate study, which can be devoted to you. If this is not possible then you will need to pay a lot more attention to developing and managing your study schedule, because it will affect other people as well as yourself. The better your study environment, the more productive you will be.

Study tools & rules

Try and make sure that your study tools are sufficient and in good working order. You will need to have access to a computer, scanner and printer, with access to the internet. You will need a very comfortable chair, which supports your lower back, and you will need a good filing system. It can be very frustrating if you are spending valuable study time trying to fix study tools that are unreliable, or unsuitable for the task. Make sure that your study tools are up to date. You will also need to consider some study rules. Some of these rules will apply to you and will be intended to help you to be more disciplined about when and how you study. This distance-learning guide will help you and after you have read it you can put some thought into what your study rules should be. You will also need to negotiate some study rules for your family, friends or anyone who lives with you. They too will need to be disciplined in order to ensure that they can support you while you study. It is important to ensure that your family and friends are an integral part of your study team. Having their support and encouragement can prove to be a crucial contribution to your successful completion of the program. Involve them in as much as you can.

Successful distance-learning

Distance-learners are freed from the necessity of attending regular classes or workshops, since they can study in their own way, at their own pace and for their own purposes. But unlike traditional internal training courses, it is the student’s responsibility, with a distance-learning program, to ensure that they manage their own study contribution. This requires strong self-discipline and self-motivation skills and there must be a clear will to succeed. Those students who are used to managing themselves, are good at managing others and who enjoy working in isolation, are more likely to be good distance-learners. It is also important to be aware of the main reasons why you are studying and of the main objectives that you are hoping to achieve as a result. You will need to remind yourself of these objectives at times when you need to motivate yourself. Never lose sight of your long-term goals and your short-term objectives. There is nobody available here to pamper you, or to look after you, or to spoon-feed you with information, so you will need to find ways to encourage and appreciate yourself while you are studying. Make sure that you chart your study progress, so that you can be sure of your achievements and re-evaluate your goals and objectives regularly.

Self-assessment

Appleton Greene training programs are in all cases post-graduate programs. Consequently, you should already have obtained a business-related degree and be an experienced learner. You should therefore already be aware of your study strengths and weaknesses. For example, which time of the day are you at your most productive? Are you a lark or an owl? What study methods do you respond to the most? Are you a consistent learner? How do you discipline yourself? How do you ensure that you enjoy yourself while studying? It is important to understand yourself as a learner and so some self-assessment early on will be necessary if you are to apply yourself correctly. Perform a SWOT analysis on yourself as a student. List your internal strengths and weaknesses as a student and your external opportunities and threats. This will help you later on when you are creating a study plan. You can then incorporate features within your study plan that can ensure that you are playing to your strengths, while compensating for your weaknesses. You can also ensure that you make the most of your opportunities, while avoiding the potential threats to your success.

Accepting responsibility as a student

Training programs invariably require a significant investment, both in terms of what they cost and in the time that you need to contribute to study and the responsibility for successful completion of training programs rests entirely with the student. This is never more apparent than when a student is learning via distance-learning. Accepting responsibility as a student is an important step towards ensuring that you can successfully complete your training program. It is easy to instantly blame other people or factors when things go wrong. But the fact of the matter is that if a failure is your failure, then you have the power to do something about it, it is entirely in your own hands. If it is always someone else’s failure, then you are powerless to do anything about it. All students study in entirely different ways, this is because we are all individuals and what is right for one student, is not necessarily right for another. In order to succeed, you will have to accept personal responsibility for finding a way to plan, implement and manage a personal study plan that works for you. If you do not succeed, you only have yourself to blame.

Planning

By far the most critical contribution to stress, is the feeling of not being in control. In the absence of planning we tend to be reactive and can stumble from pillar to post in the hope that things will turn out fine in the end. Invariably they don’t! In order to be in control, we need to have firm ideas about how and when we want to do things. We also need to consider as many possible eventualities as we can, so that we are prepared for them when they happen. Prescriptive Change, is far easier to manage and control, than Emergent Change. The same is true with distance-learning. It is much easier and much more enjoyable, if you feel that you are in control and that things are going to plan. Even when things do go wrong, you are prepared for them and can act accordingly without any unnecessary stress. It is important therefore that you do take time to plan your studies properly.

Management

Once you have developed a clear study plan, it is of equal importance to ensure that you manage the implementation of it. Most of us usually enjoy planning, but it is usually during implementation when things go wrong. Targets are not met and we do not understand why. Sometimes we do not even know if targets are being met. It is not enough for us to conclude that the study plan just failed. If it is failing, you will need to understand what you can do about it. Similarly if your study plan is succeeding, it is still important to understand why, so that you can improve upon your success. You therefore need to have guidelines for self-assessment so that you can be consistent with performance improvement throughout the program. If you manage things correctly, then your performance should constantly improve throughout the program.

Study objectives & tasks

The first place to start is developing your program objectives. These should feature your reasons for undertaking the training program in order of priority. Keep them succinct and to the point in order to avoid confusion. Do not just write the first things that come into your head because they are likely to be too similar to each other. Make a list of possible departmental headings, such as: Customer Service; E-business; Finance; Globalization; Human Resources; Technology; Legal; Management; Marketing and Production. Then brainstorm for ideas by listing as many things that you want to achieve under each heading and later re-arrange these things in order of priority. Finally, select the top item from each department heading and choose these as your program objectives. Try and restrict yourself to five because it will enable you to focus clearly. It is likely that the other things that you listed will be achieved if each of the top objectives are achieved. If this does not prove to be the case, then simply work through the process again.

Study forecast

As a guide, the Appleton Greene Women Empowerment corporate training program should take 12-18 months to complete, depending upon your availability and current commitments. The reason why there is such a variance in time estimates is because every student is an individual, with differing productivity levels and different commitments. These differentiations are then exaggerated by the fact that this is a distance-learning program, which incorporates the practical integration of academic theory as an as a part of the training program. Consequently all of the project studies are real, which means that important decisions and compromises need to be made. You will want to get things right and will need to be patient with your expectations in order to ensure that they are. We would always recommend that you are prudent with your own task and time forecasts, but you still need to develop them and have a clear indication of what are realistic expectations in your case. With reference to your time planning: consider the time that you can realistically dedicate towards study with the program every week; calculate how long it should take you to complete the program, using the guidelines featured here; then break the program down into logical modules and allocate a suitable proportion of time to each of them, these will be your milestones; you can create a time plan by using a spreadsheet on your computer, or a personal organizer such as MS Outlook, you could also use a financial forecasting software; break your time forecasts down into manageable chunks of time, the more specific you can be, the more productive and accurate your time management will be; finally, use formulas where possible to do your time calculations for you, because this will help later on when your forecasts need to change in line with actual performance. With reference to your task planning: refer to your list of tasks that need to be undertaken in order to achieve your program objectives; with reference to your time plan, calculate when each task should be implemented; remember that you are not estimating when your objectives will be achieved, but when you will need to focus upon implementing the corresponding tasks; you also need to ensure that each task is implemented in conjunction with the associated training modules which are relevant; then break each single task down into a list of specific to do’s, say approximately ten to do’s for each task and enter these into your study plan; once again you could use MS Outlook to incorporate both your time and task planning and this could constitute your study plan; you could also use a project management software like MS Project. You should now have a clear and realistic forecast detailing when you can expect to be able to do something about undertaking the tasks to achieve your program objectives.

Performance management

It is one thing to develop your study forecast, it is quite another to monitor your progress. Ultimately it is less important whether you achieve your original study forecast and more important that you update it so that it constantly remains realistic in line with your performance. As you begin to work through the program, you will begin to have more of an idea about your own personal performance and productivity levels as a distance-learner. Once you have completed your first study module, you should re-evaluate your study forecast for both time and tasks, so that they reflect your actual performance level achieved. In order to achieve this you must first time yourself while training by using an alarm clock. Set the alarm for hourly intervals and make a note of how far you have come within that time. You can then make a note of your actual performance on your study plan and then compare your performance against your forecast. Then consider the reasons that have contributed towards your performance level, whether they are positive or negative and make a considered adjustment to your future forecasts as a result. Given time, you should start achieving your forecasts regularly.

With reference to time management: time yourself while you are studying and make a note of the actual time taken in your study plan; consider your successes with time-efficiency and the reasons for the success in each case and take this into consideration when reviewing future time planning; consider your failures with time-efficiency and the reasons for the failures in each case and take this into consideration when reviewing future time planning; re-evaluate your study forecast in relation to time planning for the remainder of your training program to ensure that you continue to be realistic about your time expectations. You need to be consistent with your time management, otherwise you will never complete your studies. This will either be because you are not contributing enough time to your studies, or you will become less efficient with the time that you do allocate to your studies. Remember, if you are not in control of your studies, they can just become yet another cause of stress for you.

With reference to your task management: time yourself while you are studying and make a note of the actual tasks that you have undertaken in your study plan; consider your successes with task-efficiency and the reasons for the success in each case; take this into consideration when reviewing future task planning; consider your failures with task-efficiency and the reasons for the failures in each case and take this into consideration when reviewing future task planning; re-evaluate your study forecast in relation to task planning for the remainder of your training program to ensure that you continue to be realistic about your task expectations. You need to be consistent with your task management, otherwise you will never know whether you are achieving your program objectives or not.

Keeping in touch

You will have access to qualified and experienced professors and tutors who are responsible for providing tutorial support for your particular training program. So don’t be shy about letting them know how you are getting on. We keep electronic records of all tutorial support emails so that professors and tutors can review previous correspondence before considering an individual response. It also means that there is a record of all communications between you and your professors and tutors and this helps to avoid any unnecessary duplication, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation. If you have a problem relating to the program, share it with them via email. It is likely that they have come across the same problem before and are usually able to make helpful suggestions and steer you in the right direction. To learn more about when and how to use tutorial support, please refer to the Tutorial Support section of this student information guide. This will help you to ensure that you are making the most of tutorial support that is available to you and will ultimately contribute towards your success and enjoyment with your training program.

Work colleagues and family

You should certainly discuss your program study progress with your colleagues, friends and your family. Appleton Greene training programs are very practical. They require you to seek information from other people, to plan, develop and implement processes with other people and to achieve feedback from other people in relation to viability and productivity. You will therefore have plenty of opportunities to test your ideas and enlist the views of others. People tend to be sympathetic towards distance-learners, so don’t bottle it all up in yourself. Get out there and share it! It is also likely that your family and colleagues are going to benefit from your labors with the program, so they are likely to be much more interested in being involved than you might think. Be bold about delegating work to those who might benefit themselves. This is a great way to achieve understanding and commitment from people who you may later rely upon for process implementation. Share your experiences with your friends and family.

Making it relevant

The key to successful learning is to make it relevant to your own individual circumstances. At all times you should be trying to make bridges between the content of the program and your own situation. Whether you achieve this through quiet reflection or through interactive discussion with your colleagues, client partners or your family, remember that it is the most important and rewarding aspect of translating your studies into real self-improvement. You should be clear about how you want the program to benefit you. This involves setting clear study objectives in relation to the content of the course in terms of understanding, concepts, completing research or reviewing activities and relating the content of the modules to your own situation. Your objectives may understandably change as you work through the program, in which case you should enter the revised objectives on your study plan so that you have a permanent reminder of what you are trying to achieve, when and why.

Distance-learning check-list

Prepare your study environment, your study tools and rules.
Undertake detailed self-assessment in terms of your ability as a learner.
Create a format for your study plan.
Consider your study objectives and tasks.
Create a study forecast.
Assess your study performance.
Re-evaluate your study forecast.
Be consistent when managing your study plan.
Use your Appleton Greene Certified Learning Provider (CLP) for tutorial support.
Make sure you keep in touch with those around you.

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Tutorial Support

Programs

Appleton Greene uses standard and bespoke corporate training programs as vessels to transfer business process improvement knowledge into the heart of our clients’ organizations. Each individual program focuses upon the implementation of a specific business process, which enables clients to easily quantify their return on investment. There are hundreds of established Appleton Greene corporate training products now available to clients within customer services, e-business, finance, globalization, human resources, information technology, legal, management, marketing and production. It does not matter whether a client’s employees are located within one office, or an unlimited number of international offices, we can still bring them together to learn and implement specific business processes collectively. Our approach to global localization enables us to provide clients with a truly international service with that all important personal touch. Appleton Greene corporate training programs can be provided virtually or locally and they are all unique in that they individually focus upon a specific business function. They are implemented over a sustainable period of time and professional support is consistently provided by qualified learning providers and specialist consultants.

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Support available

You will have a designated Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and an Accredited Consultant and we encourage you to communicate with them as much as possible. In all cases tutorial support is provided online because we can then keep a record of all communications to ensure that tutorial support remains consistent. You would also be forwarding your work to the tutorial support unit for evaluation and assessment. You will receive individual feedback on all of the work that you undertake on a one-to-one basis, together with specific recommendations for anything that may need to be changed in order to achieve a pass with merit or a pass with distinction and you then have as many opportunities as you may need to re-submit project studies until they meet with the required standard. Consequently the only reason that you should really fail (CLP) is if you do not do the work. It makes no difference to us whether a student takes 12 months or 18 months to complete the program, what matters is that in all cases the same quality standard will have been achieved.

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Support Process

Please forward all of your future emails to the designated (CLP) Tutorial Support Unit email address that has been provided and please do not duplicate or copy your emails to other AGC email accounts as this will just cause unnecessary administration. Please note that emails are always answered as quickly as possible but you will need to allow a period of up to 20 business days for responses to general tutorial support emails during busy periods, because emails are answered strictly within the order in which they are received. You will also need to allow a period of up to 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies. This does not include weekends or public holidays. Please therefore kindly allow for this within your time planning. All communications are managed online via email because it enables tutorial service support managers to review other communications which have been received before responding and it ensures that there is a copy of all communications retained on file for future reference. All communications will be stored within your personal (CLP) study file here at Appleton Greene throughout your designated study period. If you need any assistance or clarification at any time, please do not hesitate to contact us by forwarding an email and remember that we are here to help. If you have any questions, please list and number your questions succinctly and you can then be sure of receiving specific answers to each and every query.

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Time Management

It takes approximately 1 Year to complete the Women Empowerment corporate training program, incorporating 12 x 6-hour monthly workshops. Each student will also need to contribute approximately 4 hours per week over 1 Year of their personal time. Students can study from home or work at their own pace and are responsible for managing their own study plan. There are no formal examinations and students are evaluated and assessed based upon their project study submissions, together with the quality of their internal analysis and supporting documents. They can contribute more time towards study when they have the time to do so and can contribute less time when they are busy. All students tend to be in full time employment while studying and the Women Empowerment program is purposely designed to accommodate this, so there is plenty of flexibility in terms of time management. It makes no difference to us at Appleton Greene, whether individuals take 12-18 months to complete this program. What matters is that in all cases the same standard of quality will have been achieved with the standard and bespoke programs that have been developed.

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Distance Learning Guide

The distance learning guide should be your first port of call when starting your training program. It will help you when you are planning how and when to study, how to create the right environment and how to establish the right frame of mind. If you can lay the foundations properly during the planning stage, then it will contribute to your enjoyment and productivity while training later. The guide helps to change your lifestyle in order to accommodate time for study and to cultivate good study habits. It helps you to chart your progress so that you can measure your performance and achieve your goals. It explains the tools that you will need for study and how to make them work. It also explains how to translate academic theory into practical reality. Spend some time now working through your distance learning guide and make sure that you have firm foundations in place so that you can make the most of your distance learning program. There is no requirement for you to attend training workshops or classes at Appleton Greene offices. The entire program is undertaken online, program course manuals and project studies are administered via the Appleton Greene web site and via email, so you are able to study at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home or office as long as you have a computer and access to the internet.

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How To Study

The how to study guide provides students with a clear understanding of the Appleton Greene facilitation via distance learning training methods and enables students to obtain a clear overview of the training program content. It enables students to understand the step-by-step training methods used by Appleton Greene and how course manuals are integrated with project studies. It explains the research and development that is required and the need to provide evidence and references to support your statements. It also enables students to understand precisely what will be required of them in order to achieve a pass with merit and a pass with distinction for individual project studies and provides useful guidance on how to be innovative and creative when developing your Unique Program Proposition (UPP).

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Tutorial Support

Tutorial support for the Appleton Greene Women Empowerment corporate training program is provided online either through the Appleton Greene Client Support Portal (CSP), or via email. All tutorial support requests are facilitated by a designated Program Administration Manager (PAM). They are responsible for deciding which professor or tutor is the most appropriate option relating to the support required and then the tutorial support request is forwarded onto them. Once the professor or tutor has completed the tutorial support request and answered any questions that have been asked, this communication is then returned to the student via email by the designated Program Administration Manager (PAM). This enables all tutorial support, between students, professors and tutors, to be facilitated by the designated Program Administration Manager (PAM) efficiently and securely through the email account. You will therefore need to allow a period of up to 20 business days for responses to general support queries and up to 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies, because all tutorial support requests are answered strictly within the order in which they are received. This does not include weekends or public holidays. Consequently you need to put some thought into the management of your tutorial support procedure in order to ensure that your study plan is feasible and to obtain the maximum possible benefit from tutorial support during your period of study. Please retain copies of your tutorial support emails for future reference. Please ensure that ALL of your tutorial support emails are set out using the format as suggested within your guide to tutorial support. Your tutorial support emails need to be referenced clearly to the specific part of the course manual or project study which you are working on at any given time. You also need to list and number any questions that you would like to ask, up to a maximum of five questions within each tutorial support email. Remember the more specific you can be with your questions the more specific your answers will be too and this will help you to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or duplication. The guide to tutorial support is intended to help you to understand how and when to use support in order to ensure that you get the most out of your training program. Appleton Greene training programs are designed to enable you to do things for yourself. They provide you with a structure or a framework and we use tutorial support to facilitate students while they practically implement what they learn. In other words, we are enabling students to do things for themselves. The benefits of distance learning via facilitation are considerable and are much more sustainable in the long-term than traditional short-term knowledge sharing programs. Consequently you should learn how and when to use tutorial support so that you can maximize the benefits from your learning experience with Appleton Greene. This guide describes the purpose of each training function and how to use them and how to use tutorial support in relation to each aspect of the training program. It also provides useful tips and guidance with regard to best practice.

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Tutorial Support Tips

Students are often unsure about how and when to use tutorial support with Appleton Greene. This Tip List will help you to understand more about how to achieve the most from using tutorial support. Refer to it regularly to ensure that you are continuing to use the service properly. Tutorial support is critical to the success of your training experience, but it is important to understand when and how to use it in order to maximize the benefit that you receive. It is no coincidence that those students who succeed are those that learn how to be positive, proactive and productive when using tutorial support.

Be positive and friendly with your tutorial support emails

Remember that if you forward an email to the tutorial support unit, you are dealing with real people. “Do unto others as you would expect others to do unto you”. If you are positive, complimentary and generally friendly in your emails, you will generate a similar response in return. This will be more enjoyable, productive and rewarding for you in the long-term.

Think about the impression that you want to create

Every time that you communicate, you create an impression, which can be either positive or negative, so put some thought into the impression that you want to create. Remember that copies of all tutorial support emails are stored electronically and tutors will always refer to prior correspondence before responding to any current emails. Over a period of time, a general opinion will be arrived at in relation to your character, attitude and ability. Try to manage your own frustrations, mood swings and temperament professionally, without involving the tutorial support team. Demonstrating frustration or a lack of patience is a weakness and will be interpreted as such. The good thing about communicating in writing, is that you will have the time to consider your content carefully, you can review it and proof-read it before sending your email to Appleton Greene and this should help you to communicate more professionally, consistently and to avoid any unnecessary knee-jerk reactions to individual situations as and when they may arise. Please also remember that the CLP Tutorial Support Unit will not just be responsible for evaluating and assessing the quality of your work, they will also be responsible for providing recommendations to other learning providers and to client contacts within the Appleton Greene global client network, so do be in control of your own emotions and try to create a good impression.

Remember that quality is preferred to quantity

Please remember that when you send an email to the tutorial support team, you are not using Twitter or Text Messaging. Try not to forward an email every time that you have a thought. This will not prove to be productive either for you or for the tutorial support team. Take time to prepare your communications properly, as if you were writing a professional letter to a business colleague and make a list of queries that you are likely to have and then incorporate them within one email, say once every month, so that the tutorial support team can understand more about context, application and your methodology for study. Get yourself into a consistent routine with your tutorial support requests and use the tutorial support template provided with ALL of your emails. The (CLP) Tutorial Support Unit will not spoon-feed you with information. They need to be able to evaluate and assess your tutorial support requests carefully and professionally.

Be specific about your questions in order to receive specific answers

Try not to write essays by thinking as you are writing tutorial support emails. The tutorial support unit can be unclear about what in fact you are asking, or what you are looking to achieve. Be specific about asking questions that you want answers to. Number your questions. You will then receive specific answers to each and every question. This is the main purpose of tutorial support via email.

Keep a record of your tutorial support emails

It is important that you keep a record of all tutorial support emails that are forwarded to you. You can then refer to them when necessary and it avoids any unnecessary duplication, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.

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Individual training workshops or telephone support

Please be advised that Appleton Greene does not provide separate or individual tutorial support meetings, workshops, or provide telephone support for individual students. Appleton Greene is an equal opportunities learning and service provider and we are therefore understandably bound to treat all students equally. We cannot therefore broker special financial or study arrangements with individual students regardless of the circumstances. All tutorial support is provided online and this enables Appleton Greene to keep a record of all communications between students, professors and tutors on file for future reference, in accordance with our quality management procedure and your terms and conditions of enrolment. All tutorial support is provided online via email because it enables us to have time to consider support content carefully, it ensures that you receive a considered and detailed response to your queries. You can number questions that you would like to ask, which relate to things that you do not understand or where clarification may be required. You can then be sure of receiving specific answers to each individual query. You will also then have a record of these communications and of all tutorial support, which has been provided to you. This makes tutorial support administration more productive by avoiding any unnecessary duplication, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.

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Tutorial Support Email Format

You should use this tutorial support format if you need to request clarification or assistance while studying with your training program. Please note that ALL of your tutorial support request emails should use the same format. You should therefore set up a standard email template, which you can then use as and when you need to. Emails that are forwarded to Appleton Greene, which do not use the following format, may be rejected and returned to you by the (CLP) Program Administration Manager. A detailed response will then be forwarded to you via email usually within 20 business days of receipt for general support queries and 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies. This does not include weekends or public holidays. Your tutorial support request, together with the corresponding TSU reply, will then be saved and stored within your electronic TSU file at Appleton Greene for future reference.

Subject line of your email

Please insert: Appleton Greene (CLP) Tutorial Support Request: (Your Full Name) (Date), within the subject line of your email.

Main body of your email

Please insert:
1. Appleton Greene Certified Learning Provider (CLP) Tutorial Support Request
2. Your Full Name
3. Date of TS request
4. Preferred email address
5. Backup email address
6. Course manual page name or number (reference)
7. Project study page name or number (reference)

Subject of enquiry
Please insert a maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Briefly outline the subject matter of your inquiry, or what your questions relate to.

Question 1

Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)

Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)

Question 3

Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)

Question 4

Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)

Question 5

Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)

Please note that a maximum of 5 questions is permitted with each individual tutorial support request email.

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Procedure

* List the questions that you want to ask first, then re-arrange them in order of priority. Make sure that you reference them, where necessary, to the course manuals or project studies.
* Make sure that you are specific about your questions and number them. Try to plan the content within your emails to make sure that it is relevant.
* Make sure that your tutorial support emails are set out correctly, using the Tutorial Support Email Format provided here.
* Save a copy of your email and incorporate the date sent after the subject title. Keep your tutorial support emails within the same file and in date order for easy reference.
* Allow up to 20 business days for a response to general tutorial support emails and up to 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies, because detailed individual responses will be made in all cases and tutorial support emails are answered strictly within the order in which they are received.
* Emails can and do get lost. So if you have not received a reply within the appropriate time, forward another copy or a reminder to the tutorial support unit to be sure that it has been received but do not forward reminders unless the appropriate time has elapsed.
* When you receive a reply, save it immediately featuring the date of receipt after the subject heading for easy reference. In most cases the tutorial support unit replies to your questions individually, so you will have a record of the questions that you asked as well as the answers offered. With project studies however, separate emails are usually forwarded by the tutorial support unit, so do keep a record of your own original emails as well.
* Remember to be positive and friendly in your emails. You are dealing with real people who will respond to the same things that you respond to.
* Try not to repeat questions that have already been asked in previous emails. If this happens the tutorial support unit will probably just refer you to the appropriate answers that have already been provided within previous emails.
* If you lose your tutorial support email records you can write to Appleton Greene to receive a copy of your tutorial support file, but a separate administration charge may be levied for this service.

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How To Study

Your Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and Accredited Consultant can help you to plan a task list for getting started so that you can be clear about your direction and your priorities in relation to your training program. It is also a good way to introduce yourself to the tutorial support team.

Planning your study environment

Your study conditions are of great importance and will have a direct effect on how much you enjoy your training program. Consider how much space you will have, whether it is comfortable and private and whether you are likely to be disturbed. The study tools and facilities at your disposal are also important to the success of your distance-learning experience. Your tutorial support unit can help with useful tips and guidance, regardless of your starting position. It is important to get this right before you start working on your training program.

Planning your program objectives

It is important that you have a clear list of study objectives, in order of priority, before you start working on your training program. Your tutorial support unit can offer assistance here to ensure that your study objectives have been afforded due consideration and priority.

Planning how and when to study

Distance-learners are freed from the necessity of attending regular classes, since they can study in their own way, at their own pace and for their own purposes. This approach is designed to let you study efficiently away from the traditional classroom environment. It is important however, that you plan how and when to study, so that you are making the most of your natural attributes, strengths and opportunities. Your tutorial support unit can offer assistance and useful tips to ensure that you are playing to your strengths.

Planning your study tasks

You should have a clear understanding of the study tasks that you should be undertaking and the priority associated with each task. These tasks should also be integrated with your program objectives. The distance learning guide and the guide to tutorial support for students should help you here, but if you need any clarification or assistance, please contact your tutorial support unit.

Planning your time

You will need to allocate specific times during your calendar when you intend to study if you are to have a realistic chance of completing your program on time. You are responsible for planning and managing your own study time, so it is important that you are successful with this. Your tutorial support unit can help you with this if your time plan is not working.

Keeping in touch

Consistency is the key here. If you communicate too frequently in short bursts, or too infrequently with no pattern, then your management ability with your studies will be questioned, both by you and by your tutorial support unit. It is obvious when a student is in control and when one is not and this will depend how able you are at sticking with your study plan. Inconsistency invariably leads to in-completion.

Charting your progress

Your tutorial support team can help you to chart your own study progress. Refer to your distance learning guide for further details.

Making it work

To succeed, all that you will need to do is apply yourself to undertaking your training program and interpreting it correctly. Success or failure lies in your hands and your hands alone, so be sure that you have a strategy for making it work. Your Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and Accredited Consultant can guide you through the process of program planning, development and implementation.

Reading methods

Interpretation is often unique to the individual but it can be improved and even quantified by implementing consistent interpretation methods. Interpretation can be affected by outside interference such as family members, TV, or the Internet, or simply by other thoughts which are demanding priority in our minds. One thing that can improve our productivity is using recognized reading methods. This helps us to focus and to be more structured when reading information for reasons of importance, rather than relaxation.

Speed reading

When reading through course manuals for the first time, subconsciously set your reading speed to be just fast enough that you cannot dwell on individual words or tables. With practice, you should be able to read an A4 sheet of paper in one minute. You will not achieve much in the way of a detailed understanding, but your brain will retain a useful overview. This overview will be important later on and will enable you to keep individual issues in perspective with a more generic picture because speed reading appeals to the memory part of the brain. Do not worry about what you do or do not remember at this stage.

Content reading

Once you have speed read everything, you can then start work in earnest. You now need to read a particular section of your course manual thoroughly, by making detailed notes while you read. This process is called Content Reading and it will help to consolidate your understanding and interpretation of the information that has been provided.

Making structured notes on the course manuals

When you are content reading, you should be making detailed notes, which are both structured and informative. Make these notes in a MS Word document on your computer, because you can then amend and update these as and when you deem it to be necessary. List your notes under three headings: 1. Interpretation – 2. Questions – 3. Tasks. The purpose of the 1st section is to clarify your interpretation by writing it down. The purpose of the 2nd section is to list any questions that the issue raises for you. The purpose of the 3rd section is to list any tasks that you should undertake as a result. Anyone who has graduated with a business-related degree should already be familiar with this process.

Organizing structured notes separately

You should then transfer your notes to a separate study notebook, preferably one that enables easy referencing, such as a MS Word Document, a MS Excel Spreadsheet, a MS Access Database, or a personal organizer on your cell phone. Transferring your notes allows you to have the opportunity of cross-checking and verifying them, which assists considerably with understanding and interpretation. You will also find that the better you are at doing this, the more chance you will have of ensuring that you achieve your study objectives.

Question your understanding

Do challenge your understanding. Explain things to yourself in your own words by writing things down.

Clarifying your understanding

If you are at all unsure, forward an email to your tutorial support unit and they will help to clarify your understanding.

Question your interpretation

Do challenge your interpretation. Qualify your interpretation by writing it down.

Clarifying your interpretation

If you are at all unsure, forward an email to your tutorial support unit and they will help to clarify your interpretation.

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Qualification Requirements

The student will need to successfully complete the project study and all of the exercises relating to the Women Empowerment corporate training program, achieving a pass with merit or distinction in each case, in order to qualify as an Accredited Women Empowerment Specialist (AWES). All monthly workshops need to be tried and tested within your company. These project studies can be completed in your own time and at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home or office. There are no formal examinations, assessment is based upon the successful completion of the project studies. They are called project studies because, unlike case studies, these projects are not theoretical, they incorporate real program processes that need to be properly researched and developed. The project studies assist us in measuring your understanding and interpretation of the training program and enable us to assess qualification merits. All of the project studies are based entirely upon the content within the training program and they enable you to integrate what you have learnt into your corporate training practice.

Women Empowerment – Grading Contribution

Project Study – Grading Contribution

Customer Service – 10%
E-business – 05%
Finance – 10%
Globalization – 10%
Human Resources – 10%
Information Technology – 10%
Legal – 05%
Management – 10%
Marketing – 10%
Production – 10%
Education – 05%
Logistics – 05%
TOTAL GRADING – 100%

Qualification grades

A mark of 90% = Pass with Distinction.
A mark of 75% = Pass with Merit.
A mark of less than 75% = Fail.
If you fail to achieve a mark of 75% with a project study, you will receive detailed feedback from the Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and/or Accredited Consultant, together with a list of tasks which you will need to complete, in order to ensure that your project study meets with the minimum quality standard that is required by Appleton Greene. You can then re-submit your project study for further evaluation and assessment. Indeed you can re-submit as many drafts of your project studies as you need to, until such a time as they eventually meet with the required standard by Appleton Greene, so you need not worry about this, it is all part of the learning process.

When marking project studies, Appleton Greene is looking for sufficient evidence of the following:

Pass with merit

A satisfactory level of program understanding
A satisfactory level of program interpretation
A satisfactory level of project study content presentation
A satisfactory level of Unique Program Proposition (UPP) quality
A satisfactory level of the practical integration of academic theory

Pass with distinction

An exceptional level of program understanding
An exceptional level of program interpretation
An exceptional level of project study content presentation
An exceptional level of Unique Program Proposition (UPP) quality
An exceptional level of the practical integration of academic theory

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Preliminary Analysis

Empowering your company’s female employees is critical for creating a positive work environment as well as organizational development and growth. Helping these women, clarify their core values and define their priorities is a critical element to developing an empowered mindset. This will require considerable changes to the company’s culture, systems, and processes. As a result, this empowerment strategy encourages transformation. Positive activities are enabled by a supportive infrastructure, which also serves as an efficient and strategic business foundation.

Opportunity for Change

As women begin to step into more and more leadership roles, they must possess a positive mindset that is set with a solid foundation based on core values and key priorities.

The Women Empowerment Leadership Program is a process of accelerating women’s professional development in the workplace. Women have made significant strides in the workplace, but there is no doubt that they continue to struggle to advance up the corporate ladder. This program provides the proper support and tools to equip these women with everything they require to succeed. This will in turn benefit the overall growth and profitability of the company. Workshop 3- Values and Priorities continues to focus on developing a success mindset.

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Preparing for the Workshop

Participants are encouraged to continue to show up with an open mind and be ready for a transformation from the inside out. Once again, there will be a lot of mindset work that involves being open to change.

Be sure to assess your organizations current stance on mindset development this will be helpful before you start making significant changes to its structure.

Take a look at your current processes and infrastructure.

Participants should also ensure that they are familiar with the major people-related processes of the company. All participants should be familiar with the processes of performance management, recruitment, talent assessment, and talent development. The workshop’s goal is not to change these processes, but rather to supplement them with the 5 Step Women’s Empowerment Business Transformation Process (Mindset Shift, Leadership Development, Personal Presence, Advanced Communications Skills and Creating and Implementing an Action Plan) to improve their effectiveness. Participants compile a list of their most recent successes and failures in each of these processes. The list will be useful later on when discussing how to integrate the process into the existing model.

It may be advantageous to the participants if these processes are also examined from the perspective of the employees. One or two of the participants should meet with a few key employees to discuss the success of the processes. The effectiveness of these processes, rather than the method itself, should be the focal point of these discussions. When discussing the efficacy of the process, it is critical to consider the outcomes from the perspective of the people it is supposed to help. Ineffective processes, regardless of their efficiency, fail to meet the expectations of the customer. The Women’s Empowerment Business Transformation Process will be able to fill in the gaps discovered by identifying flaws in these procedures.

The third workshop in our Women Empowerment Program – Values and Priorities continues to work on developing a positive shift in our mindset.

Making sure our values and priorities are considered in everything we do and having a system to identify honor and protect them is crucial to our success as a human and a professional.

In the Values and Priorities workshop, we dive deep into how clarifying our values and establishing what our priorities are can change our life for the better allowing us to live a life of integrity and fulfillment.

How this will be achieved, is by implementation of the following strategies:

1. Learn and implement the steps to defining one’s values and then narrowing them down to 3 core values.

2. Process to discover our Why, what motivates us then, creating our Why Statement.

3. Discover 7 strategies to finding our purpose. Including an activity to build team cohesiveness and creative thinking.

4. Learn keys to prioritize our priorities.

5. Adopt tips in setting personal boundaries to honor and protect our priorities.

6. Learn powerful ways to identify and then separate our feelings and needs from our partner, family, friends, and colleagues by setting relationship boundaries.

7. Develop healthy professional practices by setting workplace boundaries.

8. Guidelines to knowing when to say Yes or No.

9. Steps to create our environment for success including selecting a business bestie.

10. Cultivating success habits to become more productive and advance our careers.

11. Implement the 4 pillars to find fulfillment life and 7 key steps to finding fulfillment at work.

12. Identify ways to give back or making a difference and make an action plan to facilitate it.

Sources/Resources

Great resource on Values: https://doi.org/

Core Value Benefits – Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96 (4), 770-782

Finding Your Why- Start with Why by Simon Sinek https://www.shortform.com/

Group Exercises: 35 Team Building Activities Your Team Will Actually Love (workamajig.com)

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Preliminary Plan

It’s important to have a plan to start implementing the processes learned throughout the workshop. Here are the steps to get this “project” started.

• Define the scope and objectives. Why is this project being initiated?…

• Define the roles and responsibilities.

• Next, you need to identify the project stakeholders – the ones who are responsible for its success. …

• Set milestones and create a timeline.

• Then, it’s time to break down the work that needs to be done into manageable blocks. …

• Hold regular meetings to check in on the progress.

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Course Manuals 1-12

Course Manual 1: Defining Values

Your values are the things that you hold dear in your daily life and work.

They (should) determine your priorities, and they’re probably the indicators you use to see if your life is going the way you want it to.

When your actions and behaviors reflect your values, life is usually good – you’re satisfied and content. However, when these do not align with your personal values, things feel… off. This can be a major source of dissatisfaction. In this lesson, we will uncover exactly how to define our values.

How Values Can Assist You

Whether you recognize them or not, values exist. When you recognize your values – and make plans and decisions that reflect them – life can be much easier.

Will you experience internal stress and conflict if you value family but have to work 70-hour weeks at work? And are you likely to be satisfied with your job if you don’t value competition and work in a highly competitive sales environment?

Understanding your values can be extremely beneficial in these situations. When you understand your own values, you can use them to make decisions about how to live your life and answer questions like,

• What job should I pursue?
• Should I take this position?
• How can I start giving back to my community?
• Should I make a concession or stick to my guns?
• Should I stick to tradition or forge a new path?

So, take the time to understand your true priorities in life, and you’ll be able to determine the best path for you and your life objectives.

Pro Tip:

Although values are typically fairly stable, they do not have strict limits or boundaries. Furthermore, your values may shift as you progress through life. For example, when you first start out in your career, success – as measured by money and status – may be your top priority. However, once you have a family, work-life balance may be more important to you.

Your personal values shift as your definition of success shifts. This is why staying connected to your values is a lifelong endeavor. You should revisit this on a regular basis, especially if you begin to feel unbalanced… and you can’t figure out why.

Remember that values that were important in the past may not be relevant now as you go through the exercise below.

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6 Steps to Defining Your Core Values

Step 1: Think about the times when you were the happiest.

Find examples from your professional and personal lives. This will ensure that your responses are balanced.

What were you up to?
Were you accompanied by others? Who?
What other factors influenced your happiness?

Step 2: Think about the times when you were most proud of yourself.

Use examples from your professional and personal life.

• What made you so proud?
• Did others share your sense of accomplishment? Who?

Step 3: Think about the times when you felt the most fulfilled and satisfied.

Again, use both professional and personal examples.

• What need or desire was met?
• How and why did the experience give meaning to your life?
• What other factors contributed to your sense of accomplishment?

Step 4: Determine your top values based on your happiness, pride, and fulfillment experiences.

Why is each experience so meaningful and memorable? To get started, consider the following list of common personal values – and aim for about ten top values. (As you progress, you may notice that some of these naturally combine.) For example, if you value philanthropy, community, and generosity, you might list service to others as a top value.)

Step 5: Rank your top values in order of importance.

This is probably the most difficult step because it requires you to look deep within yourself. It’s also the most crucial step because, when making a decision, you’ll have to choose between solutions that may satisfy different values. This is the point at which you must decide which value is more important to you.

Make a list of your top values in no particular order.

Consider the first two values and ask yourself, “If I could only satisfy one of these, which would it be?” It might help to imagine yourself in a situation where you would have to make that decision. For example, if you compare the values of service and stability, consider whether you should sell your house and relocate to another country to do valuable foreign aid work, or whether you should keep your house and volunteer to do charity work closer to home. Continue working your way through the list, comparing each value to the next, until your list is in the correct order.

Step 6: Reaffirm your values.

Examine your top priorities and make sure they align with your life and your vision for yourself.

• Do you feel good about yourself when you live by these values?
• Are you pleased with your top three values?
• Would you be comfortable and proud to tell people you respect and admire about your values?

When you consider your values when making decisions, you can be certain that you will maintain your sense of integrity and what you know is right, and that you will approach decisions with confidence and clarity. You’ll also know that what you’re doing is best for your current and future happiness and fulfillment.

Key Point: Making value-based decisions is not always simple. Making a choice that you know is right, on the other hand, is much easier in the long run.

Identifying and comprehending your values is a difficult and important task. Personal values are an essential component of who you are – and who you want to be. You can use these important factors in your life as a guide to make the best decision in any situation if you become more aware of them.

Some of life’s most important decisions are about determining what you value the most. When many options appear reasonable, it’s helpful and reassuring to rely on your values – and use them as a powerful guiding force to point you in the right direction.

Why Are Company Core Values important

A company’s values can have a significant impact on internal workplace culture and employee engagement, in addition to improving brand perception and assisting customers in developing trust in your company. Employees and team members who strongly identify with the company’s core values are more likely to remain satisfied and engaged with the company, increasing overall performance and providing your company with a competitive advantage.

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5 Ways to Develop Core Values for a Successful Business

Companies and departments within companies, often use mission statements they should define culture, drive performance, and be supported by the company’s core values. Departmental mission statements can be more specific than the company’s overall mission statement and can be used as a blueprint for action.

Here is an example:

“Our mission is to support the corporate sales and profit goals in a consistent and predictable manner through efficient sales and servicing efforts while providing the highest level of customer satisfaction.”

When it comes to developing a list of core values for your company as a business owner, there is no hard and fast rule. Core values of a company can range from skillfulness and decisiveness to social justice and environmental sustainability. Here are some strategies and methods for developing a set of values:

1. Brainstorm with team members: Assemble a trusted group of employees to generate a list of company values. If you’re the boss or co-founder, show self-control by remaining open-minded and encouraging the rest of your team to speak candidly. Consider everyone in the room to be one team and narrow down your list of core values to a few areas of agreement, such as “dependability” or “resourcefulness.” Then, set aside the list of values and return to it in a few weeks or a month. You’re in good shape if the team still agrees on the value statements.

2. Allow your mission to naturally define your values: Your core values can occasionally emerge as a natural extension of your company’s overall mission. The founders of the Patagonia clothing brand, for example, aimed to create clothing with a low environmental impact, and their core values of eco-friendly sustainability came to reflect that mission statement. Examine and own your mission statement to see what core values emerge naturally.

3. Ask yourself the important questions: Asking yourself fundamental questions about your company can help clarify your core values. One of these questions might be: “What behaviors or actions would the company value over profit?” Maybe your values are hard work, open-mindedness, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Maybe you emphasize a desire to drive change by shaking up the status quo. Or maybe your priorities are a healthy work-life balance and high standards of well-being for employees. Determining the specific answer to this question is likely to elucidate your company’s core values.

4. Be specific: In an ideal world, a company’s core values are so clearly defined that all decisions, including hiring, are made through the lens of those values. Your core values should serve as the framework for hiring entry-level employees and managing human resources, and they should be specific enough to attract the right people. For example, if your core value is seeking continuous improvement through risk-taking, you would probably avoid hiring people who value frugality and conservatism. If your company’s values are more aligned with poise and timeliness, you might hire someone who prefers poise and timeliness over playfulness. To be the best company, you must have clear, unified values.

5. Consider your customers: Customer feedback is frequently the key to developing core values that will ensure your company’s future success. Most customers value qualities other than good work and superior products—they want a wow factor to set your company apart from the competition. Perhaps they want continuous improvement in customer service, a people-first approach, or overall dependability and friendliness. Consider your customers’ feedback and reviews and try to incorporate their suggestions into your company’s core values.

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12 Types of Values

There are values of various kinds. Some key categories are universal, human, personal, family, sociocultural, moral, ethical, aesthetic, spiritual, material, economic, and pragmatic.

Values are principles that guide human behavior and serve as a guide for the development of an organization or society.

Each individual, with his or her own unique characteristics, must interact with the others in order for the relationships to be as balanced as possible.

It is here that sharing values is important because it means that members of a community understand, accept, and share codes that will ensure harmonious coexistence and mutual respect.

Values are thus a set of beliefs that we have incorporated in order to live with dignity; they serve as a guideline for developing individual and collective goals and purposes that are consistent with our personal feelings and convictions. Human values are passed down from generation to generation via education and example.

Children learn what they are taught at home and at school, but they also imitate what older people see, so there must be consistency between what is said and what is done in a home with strong values.

In the organizational sphere, a company’s values are the result of extensive prior analysis and are communicated to each employee from the moment of its incorporation. Not only should these values be accepted, but they should also be communicated with in order to ensure their adaptation and good performance within the company.

Values lay the groundwork for regulating our behavior and, as a result, ensuring collective well-being. They always have a positive connotation; those that have a negative connotation are referred to as “anti-values.”

Axiology is the study of values in philosophy.

Human values come in various forms.

Values are subjective interpretations of pleasure or dislike; these interpretations become values when they are exercised by the individual.
There are many different types of values, ranging from those that are universally accepted by most people, regardless of race, religion, or where they live, to those that are very personal and intimate to each individual.

Here’s a rundown of the most important types of values.

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Universal values

They are the set of norms of coexistence that are valid, accepted by a community at a certain time, but also shared by the vast majority of people around the world.

They are the basic principles around which the basic rules of respect, acceptance and good behavior of human beings are established. Among these universal values are:

– True: Agreement or agreement between what is thought, what is said, what is felt and what is done.

– Responsibility: It is the moral obligation to respond for our actions, without anyone obliging us, but for the “must be”.

– Justice: Know and accept which part is right and give it by right.

– Freedom: A fundamental principle and an inalienable human right to be able to act and to think according to our own criterion and will, without nothing or nobody to curtail us.

– Goodness: An inborn quality of man in which the good triumphs over all other feelings.

– Honesty: A human quality that binds your actions to integrity, truth, justice, and righteousness. – Love: Virtue that enables one to feel and express feelings of kindness, affection, and compassion.

– Solidarity: It is the moral commitment that people develop to help and support one another, as well as to commit to common causes.

– Understanding: The ability of an individual to put himself in the shoes of another and comprehend his point of view.

These universal values, fundamental principles for coexistence, are assumed and applied by people in various fields, earning them various names such as human, personal, or family values.

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Human values

Norms and principles that are instilled in us from birth and become an inseparable part of our being. These values can be supplemented with:

– Graciousness
– Disloyalty
– Sensitivity
– Prudence
– Will

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Personal values

Beyond the values instilled in us throughout our lives, each individual adapts them in a unique and personal way based on their beliefs, experiences, and way of thinking and being.

This is also heavily influenced by each individual’s personal experiences. As a result, the terms “good” and “bad,” as well as “right” and “wrong,” can have many shades of gray depending on the individual’s point of view.

This will determine their behavior and how well they adapt in interpersonal, labor, and social relationships. Among these values are:

– Faithfulness
– Gratitude
– Discipline
– Patience
– Constancy
– Empathy

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Family Values

They are the set of beliefs accepted and practiced within the family as a result of tradition and personal experiences. Some examples of family values are:

-Union
-Respect
-Joy
-Sincerity

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Values in Society

Sociocultural values are broader sets of beliefs that are accepted by a society that shares common codes.

They enable the establishment of relationships of respect and harmony among many people who may think differently and have different histories, but who understand and respect general norms.

In addition to the aforementioned, these values can also be:

– Patriotism
– Cultural Identity
– Self-discipline
– Punctuality
-Service Vocation
-Generosity

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Moral Values

Moral values are used to help people make ethical decisions. Morality instructs us on how to act in specific situations and enables us to answer the question “what should we do?” In the face of any given situation.

Moral values seek happiness and self-actualization through kindness, honesty, and other human virtues, with a predominance of freedom guided by reason.

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Ethical Values

Ethics directs actions based on an individual’s moral beliefs. Essentially, they are the same moral values, but in a more pragmatic context.

Moral values operate in a more philosophical, internal realm of the individual, and the decisions and actions taken as a result of their reflection determine their ethical values.

However, because they bear a heavy moral burden, all universal, human, or personal values are, in a sense, ethical values.

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Aesthetic values

They have the ultimate goal of beauty, and to achieve it, other aspects such as harmony and balance are involved. It refers to physical characteristics that provide aesthetic pleasure.

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Religious and spiritual values

They are beliefs that are given by faith rather than by specific norms or laws enacted by men to ensure order.

They are associated with immaterial and intangible aspects, but they can become very profound and govern the human being’s behavior in other aspects of his life. Essentially, we find Faith and Holiness here.

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Material Values

As the name implies, these values are not philosophical, moral, or thinking aspects, but concrete elements that coexist with people and help them subsist and live more comfortably.

As the name implies, these values are not philosophical, moral, or thinking aspects, but concrete elements that coexist with people and help them subsist and live more comfortably.

These values are associated with material goods that meet basic needs such as clothing, food, health, and recreation.

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Economic Values

When we talk about economic value, we usually mean the material, commercial, or monetary worth of a good or physical object.

It is a term that is mostly used in relation to wealth generation or material growth.

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Pragmatic values

It is the usefulness or usability of things, the characteristics that make an object useful or facilitate some sort of task.

What purpose do values serve?

Values are stable beliefs that something is good or bad; they determine whether something is preferable to its opposite and assist us in making decisions that are considered correct by our belief system.

Based on this, the values can be applied to:

– Create a hierarchy of what is truly important and what isn’t.
– Choose the most appropriate behavior from a set of options.
– Conducting ourselves in accordance with our ideas and principles.
– To be able to take a stand on contentious or difficult issues.

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Exercise 3:1: Code of Ethics
Here’s a simple but significant activity that will establish the tone and is great to kick off the workshop event and fosters consensus on shared values. On a whiteboard (using sticky notes), individuals write down what is important to them.

– Duration: 30 minutes or more

– Goals: Building mutual trust and establishing group values

What to do in the game:

1. Write “Meaningful” and “Pleasant” on a whiteboard.

2. Ask everyone in the room to say something that will make this workshop meaningful and enjoyable. Ask them to write their ideas on sticky notes.

3. Make a mind map of each participant’s ideas.

4. For each suggestion, make certain that all participants have a similar understanding of the concept. If not, revise the proposal until all participants agree on it.

5. Go over each suggestion and ask participants how they would ensure that the idea is implemented during the workshop. Make a note of these on the whiteboard with sticky notes.

6. The group’s Code of Conduct is comprised of all ideas that have been mutually agreed upon as “pleasant” and “meaningful.” The group is responsible for upholding this code for the duration of the workshop.

Strategy:

To be successful in any team building activity, the team must share a few common values and beliefs about what constitutes a successful team meeting. Having these values established early in the workshop/team meeting can make the rest of the workshop run much more smoothly.

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Course Manual 2: Your Why

In order to live a life of meaning and purpose you must discover and define your personal “Why” in life. In the grand scheme of things, everyone has a deep motivation that fuels their life. If you keep asking yourself why you do what you do, you will eventually discover your own personal “Why” in life. When you do, you can be happy and live a life of passion.

What is a WHY in life?

What is your life’s “Why?”

This is a common question, but it forces you to consider what you truly want out of life. How do you figure out what your “Why” is in life? By asking as many questions as you can think of:

• What motivates me to do this?

• Why do I prefer this to that?

• Why am I unhappy when X occurs?

• Why am I so stressed right now?

• Why?

If you keep asking these questions, you’ll almost certainly get the same answer. That answer is almost always your life’s “Why.” That is the motivation that propels you forward in life. That is what causes you to be unhappy if your current situation does not correspond to your “Why.”

The most common responses to these “Why” questions are a variation or combination of the following:

• Taking care of my family

• Success

• Leaving a Legacy

• Being loved

• Making a difference in the lives of others

• Fortune

It’s not uncommon to feel inclined to want all of those things we just listed. And, without further thought, you may plan your life to be a successful and wealthy individual with a significant positive impact on the world.

Because that seems like a good reason to be alive, doesn’t it?

To discover your personal “Why” in life, you must first dig deep within your conscious mind with a shovel. What is the best way to begin digging? By asking yourself the above-mentioned questions.

Here’s an example:

Q: Why do I work from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day?

A: Because I need money to do the things I care about the most.

What does this response teach me? That my “career” has nothing to do with my life’s “Why.” I only work because the money allows me to do the things that are more important to me. Let’s keep going.

Q: What is the most important thing to me?

A: To live a happy life and to be surrounded by people whose lives I can improve.

So, this is already becoming more existential, right? In most cases, your “Why” in life is not linked to a single factor in your life (like a career, a hobby, or a single good cause). It is usually much bigger than that.

Let’s keep going.

Q: What motivates me to have a positive impact on the world?

A: Because I’ve been given a chance in life that not many other people have (good upbringing, basic needs, family, health, education). I don’t want to take these things for granted. I want to take advantage of this opportunity to give back to the world.

What this boils down to is that everything you do – whether you’re a business or an individual – should be motivated by the same fundamental reason. So, if someone began to question your actions (why are you doing that? Why this? Why that?), you’d have to be able to circle back to your main “Why” statement at some point.

Because “Why” statements are already very common in business, I’ve decided to include a few well-known examples here. Personal “Why” statements are still uncommon but reading these examples may inspire you to reconsider your own!

What this boils down to is that everything you do – whether you’re a business or an individual – should be motivated by the same fundamental reason. So, if someone began to question your actions (why are you doing that? Why this? Why that?), you’d have to be able to circle back to your main “Why” statement at some point.

Because “Why” statements are already very common in business, I’ve decided to include a few well-known examples here. Personal “Why” statements are still uncommon but reading these examples may inspire you to reconsider your own!

• We aim to challenge the status quo. We aim to think differently. – Apple

• To connect millions of people in real life all over the world, through a community marketplace– so that you can belong anywhere. – Airbnb

• To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. – Microsoft

• To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. – Google

Why it’s critical to discover your personal “Why”

A “Why” statement is frequently used in business, but why is it also important to determine your own “Why” statement?

Because living a life that is aligned with your life’s purpose is more likely to make you happy. Trackinghappiness.com recently conducted a large-scale survey on this topic and discovered that 34% of people associate their life’s purpose with their happiness.

Another fascinating study followed 136,000 people for about 7 years and came to the following surprising conclusion:

The analysis showed a lower risk of death for participants with a high sense of purpose in life. After adjusting for other factors, mortality was about one-fifth lower for participants reporting a strong sense of purpose.

Source: Purpose in Life and Its Relationship to All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Events: A Meta-Analysis

Identifying your personal “Why” in life

You can’t go around copying and pasting other people’s “Why” statements and expect to be happy doing the same things.

No, you must discover your own personal “Why” in life.

The “Why” differs from person to person, just as happiness is unique to each individual.

Richard Branson’s “Why” in life may be “to have fun in my journey through life and learn from my mistakes,” whereas your personal “Why” may simply be to provide the best life possible for your family and children.

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Examples of Personal Why’s

“My why is to help people be more connected in their life, career, and business.”

This “Why” statement comes from Beth Bridges and shows how a life event can solidify your purpose in life. Beth is an author and specializes in the power of networking. She also runs The Networking Motivator, which is a website about sharing networking strategies with others.

Here’s how she defines her “Why” in life.

My why is to help people be more connected in their life, career, and business. A year and a half ago, my husband of 17 years had a massive heart attack and was gone in minutes. What saved my sanity? The friends and business connections who gladly helped me with things small and large. Without that community, I would have been lost in despair and sadness. Now, I want to make sure that everyone has the tools and knowledge to build their own community so that they can survive whatever life throws at them.

“To leave the world better than I found it and be remembered by the people whose lives I touched as a force for good in their lives.”

This one comes from Paige, which I find a really inspiring example. “To leave the world better than I found it” is such a simple but powerful purpose. Paige started a global branding and marketing firm – called Mavens & Moguls – 18 years ago. She’s been happily married for 27 years, has a close circle of friends, nieces, nephews, and god kids.

She says:

Quite simply I want to leave the world better than I found it and be remembered by the people whose lives I touched as a force for good in their lives.

I lost 7 people very close to me in 6 years and know firsthand no one on their deathbed wishes they worked more, made more money or won more awards. They just want to be with the ones they love most and to tell them they mattered. I think of those people often and the roles they played in my life. I want to be remembered for passing along the very best in me to others, so their lives are better and happier in some ways because I was part of it.

Tracking Your Happiness in Order to Find Your “Why”

Tracking your happiness daily can be very powerful and insightful. What exactly does this mean? It means that every day, you spend two – five minutes reflecting on your day. Simple questions to ask yourself:

1. On a scale of 1 to 100, how happy was I?

2. What factors had the greatest influence on my rating?

3. I clear my mind by writing down everything that comes to mind in my happiness journal.

This enables us to continuously learn from our changing life. It’s also how we can determine whether daily activities are serving our primary motivation in life. It’s typical to be ‘m usually the most unhappy when you’re doing something that doesn’t align with your personal “Why” statement.

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Crafting Your Why Statement and Communicating Your Purpose in Business

Every business, organization, and career operates on three levels: (1) WHAT we do, (2) HOW we do it, and (3) WHY we do it. We’re all familiar with WHAT we do: the products we sell, the services we provide, and the jobs we do. Only a few of us know HOW we do it—what we believe distinguishes or distinguishes us from the rest of the crowd or our competition. However, only a few of us can clearly articulate WHY we do what we do…

Again, our WHY is the purpose, cause, or belief that motivates every organization and every individual’s career. Here are some powerful questions to ask:

• WHY IS YOUR COMPANY EXISTING?

• WHAT MADE YOU GET OUT OF YOUR BED THIS MORNING?

• And WHY should anyone be concerned?

Your WHY is what distinguishes you from the crowd. It’s your goal. It is what motivates you to act. Your WHY is also what motivates others to act, spread your ideas, or purchase your products.

Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why explains this concept of WHY in detail. Simon explains in that book how some of the world’s greatest leaders inspire themselves as well as others to take action, buy their products, or champion their cause…

They accomplish this by first clarifying, comprehending, and communicating their purpose—their WHY—before communicating anything else. They begin with WHY, sell with WHY, and lead with WHY.

Find Your Why, Sinek’s most recent book, is a follow-up to Start With Why… While Start With Why explains why it’s important to begin with WHY, Find Your Why explains how to do so.

Your WHY Statement is the most effective way for you to articulate your WHY—your purpose… Not only to others, but also to yourself.

Your WHY statement should be as follows:

• simple and straightforward
• actionable
• concentrated on how you will help others, and
• expressed in affirmative language that is meaningful to you

Your WHY statement should be able to encompass all of the qualities we just discussed—and it can be stated in a simple sentence.

It should also be “evergreen,” which means that it should apply to everything you do, both personally and professionally, without separation.

In Find Your Why, Simon Sinek and his co-authors explain that your WHY Statement is “a statement of your value at work as much as it is the reason your friends love you. We don’t have a professional WHY and personal WHY. We are who we are wherever we are. Your contribution is not a product or a service. It’s the thing around which everything you do— the decisions you make, the tasks you perform, the products you sell— aligns to bring about the impact you envision.”

Simon and his team provide us with a simple format to use as we draft our WHY Statement:

TO ____ SO THAT ____.

The first blank represents your contribution — the contribution you make to the lives others through your WHY. And the second blank represents the impact of your contribution.

The first blank represents your contribution — the contribution you make to the lives others through your WHY. And the second blank represents the impact of your contribution.

Your job is to plug-in the blanks to create your own unique WHY Statement.

But before you start creating one, it might be helpful to have some examples to reference…

Now it’s our turn:

The” TO ____ SO THAT ____” format was designed to be simple and straight-forward enough such that anyone can draft a meaningful WHY by using it. You can use it to create an individual WHY, or you can use it to create an organizational WHY. It’s a powerful tool that can pull your thoughts and actions towards doing what matters most to you.

Grab a pen and pad and use the “TO ____ SO THAT ____” template to start drafting your own WHY Statement.

Take as long as you need to do this, and keep in mind that you can modify your WHY as you evolve as an individual—none of this is set in stone unless you want it to be.

Draft as many WHY Statements as you need to until you find the one that resonates with you on an emotional level.

Once you’ve chosen a meaningful WHY Statement, take a second to congratulate yourself — you now have your very own WHY!

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Niedzsche

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Exercise 3:2: Your Why Statement

1. Go through the Step by Step Process to create your personal “Why Statement”.
2. Go around the group and have everyone share their Why statement.

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Course Manual 3: Passion vs. Purpose

It is helpful in understanding that your WHY and your PURPOSE are not the same thing. Your WHY is the reason you do the things you do (Maybe for your family, to prove something to someone or yourself) – Your PASSION or PURPOSE is your mission in life. It might be your work, your contribution to others, your art or creations.

Your Life’s Purpose

Your life purpose is made up of the central motivating goals of your life—the reasons you get out of bed in the morning.

Purpose can guide life decisions, influence behavior, shape goals, provide direction, and create meaning. For some, purpose is linked to vocation—meaningful, satisfying work. Others find their meaning in their obligations to family or friends. Others seek meaning through spirituality or religious beliefs. Some people may find their life’s purpose clearly expressed in all of these areas.

When considering your life purpose, the following questions may arise:

• Who am I?

• Where do I belong?

• When do I feel fulfilled?

Your life’s purpose is your contribution.

Some people are hesitant to pursue their life purpose because they are concerned that it will appear self-serving or selfish. True purpose, on the other hand, is about recognizing your own gifts and using them to make a difference in the world, whether that means playing beautiful music for others to enjoy, assisting friends with problems, or simply bringing more joy into the lives of those around you.

Richard Leider, a nationally ranked coach, and purpose expert, says that “genuine purpose points to the end of a self-absorbed, self-serving relationship to life.” When your authentic purpose becomes clear, you will be able to share it with the whole world.

How does one’s life purpose evolve?

Questions about life purpose can arise at any time, but they are more common during times of transition or crisis, such as a career or educational change, a personal loss, or a long-distance move. (Sharon Daloz Parks refers to these occurrences as “life’s shipwrecks.”)

Our lives can be compared to a nautilus that expands its shell by adding new chambers as it grows and requires more space. Similarly, as people progress through life, their old quarters can become cramped. They begin to wonder what they can do to increase their available space.

Moving into new chambers allows for the emergence of new possibilities, allowing our life purpose to evolve. However, this can cause physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual transitions, as well as a chaotic period as we begin to ask new questions.

This is the key to living a fully alive life: repeatedly reframe our life questions.

As we progress through our lives, we encounter various questions and opportunities.

Each of us has a unique purpose – here are some examples:

Jackie:

I have always felt that my purpose is to take care of others. Now I have the opportunity to do that every day with my children.

Susan:

I have a job as a legal aide, which is pretty interesting and pays fairly well. But my real love is music. I love to play my cello, and I practice a few hours a day. I especially love to perform for others and bring beauty to a special occasion, like a wedding.

Randall:

A few years ago, my father was very sick in the hospital. I was so impressed by the nurses there and how they made such a difference to my father and our family that I decided that I wanted to have a job like that. So, I went to nursing school, and now I work as an RN in a local clinic.

What’s the difference between passion and purpose?

Most people associate passion a