Try-it

blue margin box

gold header box with photo of teens, youth and adult

A Leadership Compass to Guide You:
Using Your Personal Values, Mission,
and Vision to Develop Your Leadership Credo

Take the time to work through the following three exercises designed to help you build on your knowledge of the roles, values, missions, and credos in your life. When possible, you may want to do your work online and then print. Or, you may choose to print each worksheet and then complete it by hand. Whatever your choice, once you’ve finished each exercise remember to print a copy of your work for your TRY-IT Personal Leadership Portfolio.

Have fun!

Prior Life Experiences Exercise 1:

An Ultimate Life Inventory

Below select the method by which you wish to complete this exercise, or label a piece of paper turned sideways (landscape orientation) “My Ultimate Life Inventory.” Make three columns across the page. Label the left column “First List” and under it, list up to 20 things (items, people, ideals, concepts, beliefs, etc.) that are most valuable to you in your life.

Now, label the center column “No ‘Things’" and then read your First List again. Transfer every listing that is not a material item, thing, or possession to the “No ‘Things’ " column (in other words, you’re leaving your materials possessions behind).

Now, label the right column “Valued Ideas” and read your “No ‘Things’" list again. For every item in the “No ‘Things’" column identify the basic idea or concept behind it (Note: It may already be an idea) and transfer that idea to the “Valued Ideas” column. So if you listed “My Mom” under “No ‘Things,’” you could call the concept behind that listing “family” or possibly “parents’ support.” Or, if you listed “good health” in the “No ‘Things’“ column, you would simply transfer it to the “Valued Ideas” column because it is already in the form of an idea or concept.

Finally, decide if you want to add any ideas to the third list that aren’t on the first or second.

Now, focus on your “Valued Ideas” list. How would you describe it? What types of listings comprise it?

*An Ultimate Life Inventory* From the options below select the method by which you would like to complete this "Prior Life Experience Exercise."

Interactive Exercise	HTML	PDF for Printing
	for On-screen Viewing

	Before you continue in this module, go to your Reflection Journal, enter today’s date, and transfer your three lists to your Journal. Then, jot down your answers to the following three questions.
	(1)	Of the three lists, which contains the most things or possession? Why?
	(2)	Of the three lists, which helped you begin to best identify “things that money can’t buy”? Explain your response.
	(3)	Of the three lists, which would you consider the best example of your Ultimate Life Inventory? Why? What would you call the items under the specific list you have identified? Why?

Reflection Journal Entry

| Back toTop |

Prior Life Experiences Exercise 2:
*Hitting the Motto Lotto!*
	Look through news magazines, or conduct an Internet search, for samples of product, company, or business mottos and/or slogans. (For example, the 4-H motto is “To Make the Best Better.”) Clip examples of slogans and mottos you find in the magazines, and print any that you locate on the Web. Try to find at least 15 different mottos and/or slogans.

Clip examples of slogans and mottos you find in the magazines, and print any that you locate on the Web.

Tape, glue or fasten the slogans and mottos you found to the linked print-out sheet, and then place the examples in your Portfolio

Now, study carefully each of the mottos/slogans you found. How would you describe them as a group? What do you believe they all have in common? What do you think separates a “really good” motto or slogan from one that is “just OK?”

Now, go to your Reflection Journal, enter today’s date, and transfer your list of mottos and slogans, as well as your answers to the questions, to your Journal.

Reflection Journal Entry

| Back toTop |

Prior Life Experiences Exercise 3:
Mission Impossible (Not!)
	Think of five examples of each of the following three types of organizations that you either belong to, admire, or do business with. Write each organization’s name in the space provided.

On the linked print-out sheet, record the names your organizations

	Community Club or Organization (Example: 4-H!)
	(1)	________________________________
	(2)	________________________________
	(3)	________________________________
	(4)	________________________________
	(5)	________________________________

	School Organization (Examples: FFA, Future Teachers of America, HERO, SADD, Key Club)
	(1)	________________________________
	(2)	________________________________
	(3)	________________________________
	(4)	________________________________
	(5)	________________________________

	Business or Industry (Examples: Local bank or insurance company)
	(1)	________________________________
	(2)	________________________________
	(3)	________________________________
	(4)	________________________________
	(5)	________________________________

Now, go to your Reflection Journal, enter today’s date, and transfer the three lists of organizations to your Journal. Be certain to save the file so you can retrieve it later.

Reflection Journal Entry

In the weeks ahead, find the mission statement for each organization you listed. You might use the Internet or contact a representative of an organization. Organization’s mission statement is a short, written description that tells what the organization does, for whom it does it, and how/why it does it. Be certain to print the mission statements you find online and record the URL. Keep detailed records of anyone you interview in person or over the telephone, the date of the interview, and the exact mission statement they share with you.

Collect the organizational mission statements and compile them in your Portfolio

	Once you’ve collected mission statements for each of the 15 organizations on your list, go to your Reflection Journal, retrieve the file you saved containing your list of organizations, enter the current date in addition to the date you created your original list, and transfer the interview data as well as each organization’s mission statement to your Reflection Journal. After transferring the information, think about the following questions and answer them in your Reflection Journal. (Do they sound familiar?)
	(1)	How would you describe the 15 mission statements as a group?
	(2)	What do you believe they all have in common?
	(3)	What do you think separates a “really good” mission statement from one that is “just OK?”

Reflection Journal Entry

>>> Continue >>>

| Printable Version of Module |