My latest NHBR column: Embrace Core Values to Shape Your Life Journey

Set aside time to dig deep within yourself to better understand your emotions, thought processes, and values. Knowing your values can be  very helpful to adopt a mindset of striving to stay open to other viewpoints and treating people with kindness and respect—even if we disagree with their opinions. In our book, we ask if humility, courage, curiosity, vulnerability, empathy, and authenticity are on your value list. Moral courage is often a necessary ally of vulnerability when facing popular opposition, indignity, or risk to personal reputation.  

While we all admire courage in theory, enthusiasm may diminish when we actually need to apply it. After all, courage is risky and may put us at increased risk of being talked down to and possibly even feeling humiliated. When we get out of our comfort zone -- for example, pushing back against certain ideas or perspectives from those on our own side of a political divide -- this may feel very isolating. 

For people in leadership roles, embracing core values is that much more important. Do we engage others in positive ways that they find inspiring or does our leadership influence have a negative impact that deflates motivation?  If we are a workplace leader, do we help maximize the potential of our staff or, instead, foster a climate that leads to them doing the minimum while watching the clock and looking for another job?   

This is tough stuff, but it is important to consider ways to increase vulnerability, humility, and courage in our daily living. We each have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, including our own. Don’t underestimate your impact!   

Read my full New Hampshire Business Review column at https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review#2026/03/13/?article=4380425.