The Skill family brings together 10 core values: Competence, Decisiveness, Effectiveness, Emotional intelligence, Intelligence, Logic, Mastery, Professionalism, Resourcefulness and Rigour. They share a theme, competence, intelligence and doing things well, and each puts the weight somewhere slightly different. If two or three of them feel true of you, this theme probably matters a lot in how you choose your work and spend your time.
The values in Skill
Competence
Competence as a core value means being reliably capable at the work you take on, so people can hand you something and trust it will be done properly.
Decisiveness
Decisiveness as a core value means making clear calls in good time, committing to them, and letting people know where they stand when waiting would only cost more.
Effectiveness
Effectiveness as a core value means focusing your effort on the work that actually changes the outcome, and judging it by the results it achieves.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence as a core value means noticing feelings, your own and other people’s, and using what you notice to respond thoughtfully in the moment.
Intelligence
Intelligence as a core value means prizing sharp, clear thinking: grasping ideas quickly, seeing the real issue beneath the presenting one, and making sense of things nobody has taught you.
Logic
Logic as a core value means wanting decisions to follow from sound reasons and reasons from evidence, and trusting a case most when each step clearly follows from the last.
Mastery
Mastery as a core value means pursuing deep expertise in a few chosen skills, through years of deliberate practice, until what you do is instinctive, refined and rare.
Professionalism
Professionalism as a core value means holding yourself to a steady standard of conduct: prepared, reliable, discreet and courteous, especially when you’re tired or under pressure.
Resourcefulness
Resourcefulness as a core value means finding a practical way to get things done with whatever time, money, people and kit you have, especially when the obvious route is closed.
Rigour
Rigour as a core value means doing things thoroughly and exactly, testing assumptions and checking sources, so your work can stand up to a hard question.
About the author
Matt Rutherford is a Career and Leadership Coach. The Values Finder is the same exercise he uses with his coaching clients. He also writes Stuff that MattRs, a weekly newsletter with practical ideas to help you think clearer and work better.
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