Occasionally, on the drive home. I will touch base with a friend of mine who leads in a dynamic environment, and he shared how a team member of his expressed feeling stuck—believing their work lacked executive champions, was unclear about organizational direction, and frustrated that the mission was drifting from their core values. Sound familiar?
Here’s the framework I offered them—and it might help you too:
The Three-Mirror Exercise
Mirror One: Your Assignment
Look honestly at what you were actually hired to do. Not what you wish you were hired to do. Not what the job description hinted at. What are you *actually* responsible for? Start there. That’s your foundation, not your ceiling.
Mirror Two: Your Values Integration
You don’t need permission to bring your values to your work. If equity matters to you, weave it into how you execute your responsibilities. If innovation drives you, innovate within your scope. Your values aren’t separate from your work—they’re how you show up to do it excellently.
Mirror Three: Your Circle of Influence
Draw two circles: what you control, and what you can influence. You likely control more than you think—your quality, your relationships, your reputation, your approach. You can influence even more through strategic relationships and consistent excellence. Everything outside those circles? That’s organizational weather. You can’t control it, but you can decide how you navigate it.
The Hard Truth
Waiting for a champion, perfect clarity, or organizational alignment with your personal values is a recipe for perpetual frustration. You can advocate for change while executing brilliantly in your lane. But if the gap between your values and the organization’s direction becomes unbridgeable, that’s data too—and it might be time for a different path.
The Question to Ask Yourself
Can I bring my whole self to this work *as it exists*, or am I waiting for the work to change so I can finally show up?
One creates momentum. The other creates resentment.
What are you choosing?
Darryl Diggs
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