Releasing The Good Project Core Concepts Packet: All 10 Core Concepts Together!

10 Core Concepts to Support Good Work

Lynn Barendsen

What types of support do students need to be able to do good work in the classroom, in their efforts outside the classroom, and eventually, in the workplace? What skills and strategies will most prepare students for our rapidly evolving working world?

The Good Project Team has been studying good work for three decades and our current definition includes three key elements. Good work is excellent (high in quality), ethical (sensitive to impact and socially responsible) and engaging (meaningful and purposeful). 

However, the world of work is changing all around us. New categories of work (for example, gig workers) have emerged, technologies such as AI are impacting how work gets done, inequities are increasing. It’s important to consider these contexts and continually revisit our understandings and terminology. 

Our definitions are only useful if they continue to evolve; as a result we’ve recently examined all of our core good work concepts and worked to update our understandings in this blog series.

In addition to the three Es (excellence, ethics and engagement), we have identified seven concepts that are key to supporting good work in the classroom and beyond. Below, we provide a brief overview of each of these concepts and their relevance to good work. 

Let’s begin by unpacking the three core elements of good work. 

• The concept of excellence remains key - excellence as an ideal to strive for - we want to understand why some individuals want to carry out high quality work and are able to sustain that excellence over time. Excellence in work is about more than simply meeting a particular benchmark (like a grade). Instead, excellence is related to the particular qualities, or behaviors, we work to cultivate in ourselves, setting and meeting personal standards. Excellence involves growth, is supported by insight and reflection and guided by personal values (more on those below). But, considering today’s mental health crisis, specifically in youth, we’ve learned to modulate our discussions about excellence. Depending on the context and particulars, always striving for excellence or “best” isn’t necessarily a good thing; some days, and in some contexts, “really good” might well be enough.

• Ethics are perhaps more relevant than ever before. We need individuals who care about the consequences of their work and who strive to have a positive impact on the world. Ethics, like excellence, are informed by values and are often considered when we’re unsure about our decision-making. Often described in the context of a choice (or an ethical dilemma), ethics are usually understood as “right” vs. “wrong”, yet it’s rare that choices are that straightforward or clearcut. Difficult ethical decisions can be helped by frameworks, reflection and mentors.

• The concept of engagement has to do with finding meaning or purpose in work. Individuals may find it impossible to continue to push for high quality, ethical work if they aren’t deeply engaged in their efforts. Often, people will have more energy when they’re engaged in their work. Connected to the concept of flow, we think about engagement as also connected to commitment, happiness, or satisfaction in work. It’s also possible to be over engaged, and issues of work/life balance are important considerations and something that can vary quite a bit depending on cultural contexts.

Our understanding of good work includes several additional core concepts, key in the development of skills and strategies to support good work in practice.

• Values guide and define us. 

• Responsibilities help us to understand ourselves, where we fit within our various communities and the world.

• Models and Mentors inspire and support us.

• Reflection is a crucial life and work skill for processing and learning.

• As we reflect and consider our values, we may also consider our long term goals, or mission. Mission can be considered at an individual level or as part of a school, organization, or workplace. 

• We can also consider the mission of the organization(s) we exist within. If we find we share major goals or share a common mission, we’re in alignment. 

• If not, when various stakeholders are in pursuit of different goals, misalignment occurs.

• Like reflection, recognizing, unpacking, and ultimately, solving dilemmas are critical skills in support of good work.

As should be clear by now, these ten concepts are interdependent. In other words, it is difficult, if not impossible, to consider responsibilities without some understanding of values. The concepts of alignment and misalignment make very little sense without the additional context possible with an understanding of mission. These concepts evolve not only as a result of context and culture, but as a result of this interdependence. As a team, we’ve recognized that we must continue to examine and update our definitions; in other words, we must establish our own habits of reflection in our efforts to research, understand and encourage good work.

All 10 Good Project Core Concepts

The Good Project Core Concepts: Values

by Lynn Barendsen 

Values are principles or beliefs that we find important, that can guide us in our attitudes, and can influence our actions and our decision-making. They help to direct us, shape who we are and how we interact with the world around us, and do so across many areas of our personal and professional lives. Ask yourself: 

• What are your personal beliefs? 

• Do they support you in your work, or do they create obstacles for you? 

• Have your values contributed to or hindered your accomplishments?

• Do you feel that your values are the same as or different from those of your colleagues?

• Think about times in your life when you were happy, most proud or fulfilled. What were you doing, and what values might have contributed to you feeling this way? 

Sometimes, when we’ve asked young people “What do you value?”, they’ve told us about particular possessions or family members; in fact, we’re actually asking instead about the personal beliefs that they hold most dear. So, if an individual were to mention “a laptop” as a “value,” we might press a bit and ask what that laptop makes possible: is it efficiency in work, enjoyment, independence? If someone were to mention a particular family member (“I value my mom”) we might ask instead what about that relationship is most valued. Are there particular characteristics about their mother (e.g. her humor, her curiosity, her courage) that are most valued, or is it the close and loving relationship they share? In other words, when we discuss “values,” we’re not referring to possessions or particular individuals, but rather concepts. Notably, while values drive peoples’ goals and serve as “guiding principles” in peoples’ lives, character strengths and virtues are how people express and pursue moral values via their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Values help motivate us to have experiences that will deepen our character strengths and virtues (Crossan et al., 2013; Lavy & Benish-Weisman, 2021).  

Values are formed by a variety of influences and experiences, including but not limited to family, culture, religion, education, other personal experiences, and more. ;Although many of the values people tend to hold remain stable as time passes, many also evolve or shift slightly with time, or in different contexts. While we are still developing our beliefs and opinions (for example, in youth), values are more likely to shift slightly. Several studies nonetheless point to the stability of values, even in younger years, including an 8-year longitudinal study of young adults (Vecchione et al., 2016). Additionally, an extensive review of values research argues that values formed early in life remain reliably steady in future years (Sagiv and Schwarz, 2022). 

Knowing what we value most and least in our personal and work lives—being aware of our values—makes it easier to react when opportunities arise and when conflicts happen. And yet, taking the time to pause and consider our values is the exception rather than the norm. On The Good Project, we believe the process of reflection is a key component of “good work,” and the consideration of our values is especially important. The value sort exercise is a way to reflect about what is most and least important to us personally and may also offer a great starting point for conversations amongst students, family members, or colleagues. 

Interestingly, the value sort is far and away our most popular resource on our website: at this writing, over 107,000 people have completed the online version of this activity. What is it that most people value? The top five values selected are: 1) personal growth and learning; 2) honesty and integrity; 3) rewarding and supportive relationships; 4) creating balance in one’s life; and 5) understanding, helping and serving others. It is important to note that the sample of individuals using this tool is not necessarily representative of the general public; they have of course found this resource because they are interested in the concept of “good work.” Nonetheless, some of these values remain consistent with values selected as most important during our original good work study of professionals in the mid 1990s, including honesty and integrity and rewarding and supportive relationships. 

Whereas the value sort enables conversation about individual values (what we ourselves value), of course none of us lives in a vacuum, and it’s important to also consider how our values may differ from those around us, whether they be family members, work colleagues, or members of other communities to which we belong. When our values differ from those around us, we may find ourselves in conflict with colleagues or supervisors, family or friends. In other writing we outlined the key good work concept of alignment (when the various stakeholders in a particular profession share goals) and misalignment (when their goals are in conflict). We may also be aligned or misaligned in terms of values; clearly, what we value in work (and in life) impacts our goals. For example: someone who values creating balance may seek a professional position that enables clear boundary-setting; someone who values independence may look for work that offers opportunities for autonomy. 

Some values are readily connected to the framework of the three Es of excellence, ethics and engagement. Excellent, or high quality work, might be accomplished by an individual with a strong work ethic, or someone who is diligent. Ethical work is often associated with honesty and integrity. Someone who values gaining knowledge would be engaged in work that allows them to continually learn.  

And yet, the relationship between values and good work is not as straightforward as it might seem. Imagine two co-workers tasked with completing a shared project; one values curiosity, the other diligence. It’s not difficult to envision a conflict of interest, even if both were determined to do “good work.” This is one example of how our values may come into conflict with the values of others. There is not necessarily one “right” answer in this situation; however, if these two colleagues were able to realize why they were in conflict with one another, resolving the conflict might be a bit easier. 

Values are one frame to approach ethical dilemmas—we have developed additional frames useful in these circumstances, including responsibility, roles and alignment. Of course, our value sort is not the only readily available resource to help individuals consider what’s most important to them and help them to navigate their decision-making process. See, for example, the Valued Living Questionnaire, The 4 Values Framework, or Schwartz’s Theory of Values. There are also more historical considerations (see, for example, Benjamin Franklin’s virtues), as well as numerous examples of important non-Western perspectives (such as the Japanese concept of Ikigai). 

When we share values with those around us, our communities tend to be more harmonious. We should be mindful, however, of the potential for creating “echo chambers” when we work (or live) without a diversity of perspectives. Although it may be more straightforward to work alongside colleagues who share our values, it is important to seek out those who offer alternative viewpoints. When individuals feel that their values are not shared by the majority, they often feel excluded and lack a sense of belonging. An inclusive workplace - indeed, any inclusive community - seeks out and honors multiple points of view. Our values may link us to our cultural heritage, give us a sense of purpose, guide our decision-making and more. Whether or not we realize their influence, our values play a significant role in defining us as individuals, as members of our communities, and as part of the wider world.  

Resources

Blogs: 

Changing Values in the Pandemic

Family Ties and Differing Values

A Consideration of Free Speech and the Role of Values

Value Sort Professional Development video

Activities:

The Value Sort Tool

Identifying Mission (shared values)

The Good Project Core Concepts: Reflection

By Danny Mucinskas

Every day, many of us are confronted with numerous responsibilities and decisions. In addition to the professional obligations, personal care needs, and family relationships we prioritize, today’s media and information environment is saturated and pervasive, driven by devices and social platforms. A 2022 survey of American adults by the American Psychological Association showed that a full 27% of respondents were feeling so stressed that they could not function. In the working world, Gallup has found that only a third of workers feel engaged in their work in 2024, while 1 in 6 are actively disengaged, largely due to a lack of clarity about roles, little feedback, and profound ongoing changes in working patterns. We might ask ourselves:

• When we might feel overwhelmed, what practices can help each of us feel more grounded and prepared to take on new challenges? 

• When seeking to do “good work,” what day-to-day habits can support us in making ethical decisions with high standards? 

• How can we take advantage of “down-time” to pause, center ourselves, and prepare for the road ahead?

Learning to reflect more fully can help to answer these questions and more. As a practice, reflection allows us to take advantage of opportunities to stop and think introspectively, to develop connections, and to construct a path forward. Defined as “the process of engaging in attentive, critical, exploratory and iterative interactions with one’s thoughts and actions, and their underlying conceptual frame, with a view to change” (Nguyen et al., 2014), reflection can help people conceptualize and achieve goals, become aware of themselves as learners (Kiaei & Reio, Jr., 2014), and reinforce a sense of purpose (Kosine, Steger, & Duncan, 2008). Reflection is related to and overlaps with metacognition, or “thinking about one’s thinking” (Chick, 2013).

Much of The Good Project’s work has focused on cultivating a habit of reflection related to work, whether that is a profession, a hobby, a community position, or another role that we may hold. We know from research that reflection in the workplace is not only beneficial but necessary. Schools, companies, and other institutions involve people collaborating together. Because human behavior and organizations are complicated and multilayered, deep reflection is required by all of us in order to develop professional competence (Cattaneo, 2020) and to make career decisions (Bassot & Reid, 2013). Reflection can also support people in becoming self-aware, effective leaders (Kontostavlou & Drigas, 2021). In his book The Reflective Practitioner (1983), focused on professionals at work, Donald Schön proposed a dual nature of reflection for workers: reflection-in-action, which occurs within situations and involves immediate reaction and testing, and reflection-on-action, which involves revisiting an experience after it has taken place to understand what happened and what could have gone differently. The benefits of worker reflection are therefore manifold.

Students who are not yet workers also benefit from reflective practices. Activities that ask adolescents to reflect upon their future careers promote both career adaptability and well-being (Ran et al., 2023). A meta-analysis has further found strong evidence of metacognition’s positive effect on direct student outcomes in school (Perry, Lundie, & Golder, 2019). 

Reflective capacities, then, are important for young people and older working professionals alike. Reflection allows each of us to build on our rich history of experiences through continuous consideration of our thoughts and actions, in the moment and retrospectively. Reflection reinforces the idea that we are all lifelong learners with room to grow as we come to understand ourselves more deeply.

The Good Project’s focus on reflection has also aimed to help people reflect consistently as a habit, or a regularly practiced routine, as opposed to occasionally or when it suits them. Regular reflection can become automatic when it is tied to a habitual ritual. For instance, actions like taking just a few minutes for daily individual journaling, or specific methods of debriefing in teams at the end of a meeting (to talk about what went well, what did not, and plans for the future) can become routine. These practices facilitate “thinking about thinking” in critical and attentive ways that meet the standard of reflection. Other habitual actions that support reflection may include use of mindfulness apps, reflective writing assignments in classrooms, or Socratic seminars that routinely ask learners to be intentional about how their ideas, thoughts, and behaviors are changing.

Furthermore, we have often spoken of the idea of reflection simply as a “Mirror Test,” or a chance to look at oneself in a hypothetical mirror, asking, “What do you see?” The answers to this question may vary widely from one person to another, involving aspects of identity, values, community affiliations, and life experiences that have influenced work. But collectively, thinking about each of these aspects of who we are and what we see when we examine ourselves can put our thoughts and actions into sharper focus, highlighting what we appreciate and what we would like to change by setting new goals or ideals. 

Because The Good Project has focused so intently on cultivating reflective abilities, our curricular materials and lessons rely heavily on thought-provoking questions to encourage learners of all ages to reflect individually and in groups. For example:

• In our lesson plans, we ask students to complete self-reflections that ask them to think metacognitively about their learning over the course of each one of the units.

• Our dilemmas are intended as opportunities for people to work together to dissect a particular set of circumstances faced by another person before turning the lens inward to one’s own circumstances.

• Our activity database contains a variety of journaling exercises asking people to write about situations in which they faced dilemmas or made a decision that they would like to change.

When we have used these materials with learners, or teachers have used them with students, we have often witnessed reactions that express appreciation for the chance to be introspective and to develop new insights. These reactions indicate not only that reflection is beneficial but can also be enjoyable and enriching. However, it is worth noting that reflection overload may be possible. For example, Tasha Eurich suggests that highly reflective people can sometimes experience negative emotions caused by constant and unproductive introspection that does not lead to any new insights. In such cases, we may need to shift from asking ourselves “Why?” questions to “What?” questions during reflective moments. This shift can lower stress and result in more solution-oriented thinking.

The ultimate goal of encouraging people to reflect, specifically on their working lives, is that they will hopefully be equipped with the ability to slow down, strategize, and make thoughtful decisions in their professional lives. In order to prioritize reflection, we must shift our mindsets and begin to view metacognitive practices not as a luxury but rather as a necessity for personal growth. The ability to reflect thoroughly is particularly crucial when circumstances become difficult or challenging, such as when our values are challenged or we feel torn between conflicting responsibilities. Too often in the rush of life, especially in today’s pace of quick attention spans, there is a temptation to make quick decisions. As an alternative, we advocate  slowing down to take the time necessary to deeply reflect, practicing both reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action.

Through reflection, we hope that people will be able to do “good work” aligned with The Good Project’s framework that is excellent, ethical, and engaged for themselves and others. As author and educator Margaret J. Wheatley has said, “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”

Below, we share some resources related to the concept of reflection and its practice:

• Project Zero’s Thinking Routines, many of which are intended to help people to be metacognitive (e.g., “I Used to Think… Now I Think…”).

• Shari Tishman and David Perkins’ episode on “The Power and Pleasure of a Pause,” which may be an opportunity to reflect, from the Thinkability podcast.

• These activities specifically focused on reflection.

The Good Project Core Concepts: Ethics

by Lynn Barendsen

One of the key three “Es” of “good work”, “ethics” is often the most fraught. Excellence is fairly straightforward: excellence means doing high quality work, or putting in your best effort. Engagement also seems relatively easy to understand because many of us feel it as we work: it’s what keeps us going when work gets hard, and can involve some combination of finding meaning, purpose or enjoyment in our work. But ethics - and doing ethical work - are more complicated. Ethics involve more than questions of “right” or “wrong” because sometimes there can be multiple “right” answers, no “good” answers or sometimes, very few if any positive choices. Ask yourself:

• Have you ever been conflicted about a difficult decision at work? 

• Have you perceived something that seems unfair, been unsure about whether or not to speak up, or doubtful about whether anything will change if you do? 

• Have you been placed in an uncomfortable position when a colleague confides in you, feeling that you need to cover or bend the truth to protect that confidence?

On The Good Project, we are not philosophers by training. Nonetheless, we recognize the roots of moral philosophy in ethical considerations. The study of ethics addresses conceptions of right and wrong, of good versus evil but is also about weighing choices while considering values. Ethical thinking provides a framework with which we can consider our decisions and our actions. In terms of good work, we ask if and how individuals consider the impact of their work beyond themselves. 

In previous writings, and relevant to this discussion, are the concepts of “neighborly morality” and the “ethics of roles.” Neighborly morality might also be understood as the Golden Rule, or treating others as you would like to be treated. Most of us make decisions on an almost daily basis taking this type of consideration into account: keeping sidewalks shoveled during the winter, or helping strangers at the grocery store with hard-to-reach goods. Whereas these types of actions typically occur in our everyday, non-working lives, the ethics of roles involve the standards by which we measure work. They may be as formal as the Hippocratic oath taken by all physicians or more informal, such as ethical codes developed and carried out within a particular business or workplace. Ideally, ethical work takes into account the standards of that particular workplace or profession, asking workers to take responsibility for their efforts.

Most often, we’re made aware of ethics when we’re faced with a difficult decision. During the original good work research, carried out in the mid 1990s, we asked participants a wide variety of questions about their work, their beliefs and values, and the influences that were most formative in their lives. When we first began interviews, we would ask, “Have you ever been faced with an ethical dilemma?” We quickly realized that this question did not solicit interesting responses; typically, we’d be met with blank stares. But this changed when we reframed the question to, “Have you ever been in a situation where you weren’t sure about the best course of action, or where you weren’t sure what to do?” As long as we didn’t ask specifically about “ethics,” we heard multiple stories about individuals faced with difficult decisions. Many of these stories are now in our dilemmas database.

As we have deepened our work in school settings, we have developed more detailed tools to support educators. Tackling ethical dilemmas can be difficult for all of us; it can be even more difficult to help students navigate their decision-making, especially in increasingly polarized, sometimes politically fraught classroom settings. As a result, we now offer a variety of resources to help educators, students and individuals navigate ethical choices.

For example, we offer a few basic frames to explain how individuals often approach ethical dilemmas. Consider, for example, a classic trolley problem, where an individual is faced with an impossible choice. A trolley is barrelling towards 5 people who are tied down across the tracks. If you pull a switch the trolley will be diverted to a track where there is only one person tied down. What do you do? Here are three approaches to unpacking this decision:

1. Utilitarianism, or ends-based thinking would argue that you should do the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. You should consider the end result and how the greatest number of people might be helped by your decision, and consider any associated costs. In this scenario, you should pull the lever, save five people, and sacrifice one.

2. Deontological thinking is a rule-based perspective, based on principles, do as you would want others to do, ends do not justify the means. In other words, it is wrong to take part in any action that would hurt another human being. This perspective would argue for taking no action at all.

3. Virtue-based thinking involves a perspective that relies on particular character strengths, such as bravery, curiosity, or open-mindedness. The “right” decision is the decision that someone with strong character strengths would do. A classic “thinking outside the box” example, this perspective would argue for trying to free or untie the individual or individuals, to jump on the trolley or try to stop it in some way, to demonstrate selflessness and bravery.

We often think of virtue-based thinking as the most complex of the three, or put another way, the least straightforward. It’s also the frame we mostly closely adhere to on The Good Project. We have developed additional frames useful to approaching ethical dilemmas, including responsibility, roles, alignment, and, in particular, values.

Ethics are in fact informed by our personal values, which serve as a foundation for ethical decision-making, influencing the choices we make in both our personal and professional lives. Exploring and understanding our own values are essential for cultivating a strong ethical framework. Similar to “virtue-based thinking,” we encourage the exploration of values via our Value Sort tool. Ideally, individuals are aware of and cultivating values in support of good work long before they are faced with difficult ethical decisions. 

When we first began our study of “good work” in the mid 1990s, we often had to explain why we were studying what was then referred to as “Humane Creativity.” Why was it necessary to understand why some creative leaders were more “humane” than others? At that time, ethical lapses were not a daily newsworthy occurrence. Through the decades, and through large breaking stories such as Enron (depicted in the film “The Smartest Guys in the Room”) and Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, gradually the need for ethical workers became more and more clear. Over time, discussions of “good work,” have come to elicit quick nods from the audience and questions about how to make it happen, rather than questions about why it’s necessary. Ethics violations at Facebook (as identified by whistleblower Frances Haugen), Theranos, the admissions scandal “Varsity Blues,” doping in sports and luxuries provided to Supreme Court justices provide just a handful of many, wide-ranging examples.

We need ethical workers. We also need ethical leaders. For better or for worse, leaders are role models for our youth and are constantly in the public eye. As we have seen over and over again, if unethical leaders are successful, they will be imitated. Although “ethics” may be the most complex of the three “Es” in many ways it feels the most urgent and threatened component. Below are some additional resources to draw upon to continue to encourage and support ethical good work.

Resources:

A professional development video on ethics 

An activity about making a difficult choice

A blog on discussing ethical dilemmas 

Advice on leading difficult discussions 

Dilemmas database

The Good Project Core Concepts: Models and Mentors

by Danny Mucinskas

Throughout our lives, we will meet countless individuals and be exposed to the stories of thousands of other people through mass media. The relationships that we develop, whether direct interpersonal relationships (such as a deep friendship or family bond) or parasocial relationships (such as being a fan of a celebrity) can have profound effects on our values, identity development, decisions, and actions. Consider:

• What types of relationships in your life have influenced you in positive and negative ways? 

• Is there a particular person or persons who shaped who you are today? 

• Have you held this role for someone else in your life? Do you think you’ve helped shape who they are in positive ways? 

In various lines of qualitative work carried out by The Good Project, related to both the way that adolescents navigate the world and how adults conduct their professional lives, we have often focused on two specific types of influential relationships. Research participants have spoken about:

1. Role models. These are people who others often seek to imitate or emulate based on some characteristic, behavior, or set of achievements in a particular field. People often find them to be inspiring and to represent something that they seek to accomplish themselves and are described as “looked up to.” While people often have a direct relationship with their role models (e.g., an older sibling), it is also frequently the case that role models are widely recognized individuals who may not know the people who are emulating them (e.g., a widely known author).

2. Mentors. These are people who others look to for guidance. Unlike role models, mentors (e.g., a teacher or a close colleague in a leadership position) are by necessity always known well to those they are advising, who are often seeking to follow in their footsteps. Mentors are often people who have experience or knowledge of a particular domain and can provide their mentees with support or feedback that can be actively used towards achieving the goals or ambitions of the mentee.

From research, we know that having role models is important for a variety of reasons. For example, role models are often responsible for increasing motivation towards goal achievement (Morgenroth et al., 2015), for setting examples of how one wants to work (particularly in parental role modeling; Wiese & Freunde, 2011), and can even inspire others to make bold decisions like starting a company (Bosma et al., 2012). Role modeling is also potentially associated with the development of character strengths (Johnson et al., 2016), with advancement of values like multicultural harmony (Onyekwuluje, 2000) and has been found to influence certain health outcomes (Yancey et al., 2011). 

Similarly, mentorship is also tied to a variety of positive outcomes and is often important in directly transmitting interpersonal support. In the health professions, mentorship models are relied upon for the sharing of knowledge, values, and emotional encouragement between older and younger members of the workforce (Henry-Noel et al., 2018), while mentors who embodied a “Close Connector” relationship model were found in one study to be most beneficial for youth outcomes (Austin et al., 2020). In the business world, 75% of executives say that having a mentor has been important to their careers, and 90% of workers with professional mentors are happy at work. It is clear, then, that across the lifespan, a relationship with a mentor can assist people in growing their skills and reaching their potential.

The demonstrated benefits of finding role models and mentors prompts all of us working in education to help young people to cultivate and maintain these types of relationships. From The Good Project’s years of investigating and speaking to individuals about these relationships, we have developed several insights which may not only be helpful for educators but also for adults as they do their work across the lifespan.

• We are all members of a multitude of communities, whether the city or town where we live, schools, families, workplaces, hobby groups, and more. We can each find and connect with mentors or role models in any one of these environments or circumstances. In an educational context, by allowing students to choose personally meaningful role models or mentors from any arena of life, the likelihood increases that students will make choices that represent a diversity of voices and identities. Thinking expansively about who might be a role model or mentor reduces the reliance on easy answers or moral paragons who might often be held up as exemplars but who may seem one-dimensional or out of reach (e.g., Mother Teresa, George Washington).

• No mentor or role model is perfect, and there may be a temptation for all of us to find one singular individual who possesses a multitude of admirable qualities or who is in exactly the right position to provide future career advice. Instead of looking for one individual, we have learned that it is possible for people to engage in “frag-mentoring.” Frag-mentoring is the concept that we can have several mentors at once, dependent on their qualities and their areas of expertise. For example, one might choose a senior colleague at work as a mentor for their tenacity and wisdom, even if they aren’t always someone who displays warmth as a friend, and also have a religious leader as a mentor for their spiritual devotion and community leadership, even if they aren’t always organized. The counsel or example of each one of these individuals might serve different purposes in particular circumstances, dependent upon one’s needs.

• Negative examples can be equally as powerful as positive ones. While the definitions of role models and mentors we offered above presuppose positive interactions or a desire to mirror, the opposite may also be true. People who don’t embody the expectations or qualities we value in others, such as a micromanaging boss or a noncommittal family member, can still be instructive from an opposite vantage point. What is it about these individuals that encapsulates what we don’t want to be like, and could their example serve as an “anti-mentor”?

• Concrete and direct action can come from mentorship or role model imitation with planning. Identifying individuals worth emulating as role models or interacting with as mentors is a first step, but the qualities or goals that make these people inspiring and worthwhile exemplars should be specifically named. Naming the qualities of a role model specifically or the goals that a mentor can support can be a tool for intention-setting and getting down to the particulars of what might be productive and life-changing about these relationships. For institutions like schools and workplaces, defined programs can also make mentoring concrete, such as a guest speaker series or a peer mentoring program.

While these insights may help a general audience think about mentors and role models, it can simultaneously be difficult to identify boundaries on who is a suitable individual to fulfill those roles. Notably, in forthcoming data collected by The Good Project, students (primarily secondary schoolers) were asked in an at-home reflection activity to identify multiple exemplars of “good work.” Analysis of their responses revealed that youth are already drawing on both close (e.g., family) and distant (e.g., celebrity) role models and that the qualities they admire in these individuals also cross a variety of complex dimensions of character strengths, including intellectual, moral, and performance character. Yet while these findings are encouraging, students often spoke of business leaders who have questionable scruples (e.g., Elon Musk) as people worthy of imitation as role models. 

While we believe in the idea identified above (that no mentor or role model candidate is perfect), every individual represents a complicated totality of decisions, experiences, and interactions with others and the world. As a project that believes in excellence, engagement, and ethics in human pursuits, The Good Project’s stance is to encourage the choice of mentors and role models who embody convictions and virtues with universal appeal, including common good, equity, empathy, perspective-taking, and sustainability. To complete the three-dimension framework of “good work” that is at the center of our project, leaders who are excellent and engaged in their pursuits must also be ethical.

Some further resources related to role models and mentors that you could explore are:

• Our sets of activities related to mentors and role models.

• Nobel Prize in Mentorship?, a blog post by Lynn Barendsen about the power of mentoring relationships.

• The Making of a Professional, a blog post by Howard Gardner that touches upon the way that models can assist professional development.

• Good Work and How It Happens, a blog post by Arlene Pang about becoming a teacher and how mentorship played a role in her experience.

• This list of role model resources compiled after conversation with teachers. 

• Two dilemmas touching on mentorship: Mentorship at a Distance and What’s a Mentor?.