3 A values-based approach to engagement (1/2): concepts
A person’s attitudes about a particular issue, such as smoking in public places, can change quite dramatically over time. In the world of politics, people may switch their allegiances between different parties or candidates; people may also present quite distinct ‘selves’ in work and social situations, and with different groups of people. However, one aspect of a person’s psychological make-up is thought to be relatively consistent and is at the core of their identity: personal values.
Most people have an intuitive sense of what personal ‘values’ are, but the typical academic definition, of a ‘guiding principle in the life of a person’, provides a good starting point. Our personal values have a strong influence on some of the most important decisions we make: what we choose to study, what career we pursue, and how we raise our children. They are also important influences on the way that we respond to social and environmental issues, including climate change.
In this session, we take a brief overview of some key ideas about values, with a particular focus on the way they affect the relationship between business owners, managers and advisors.
Values in the workplace
When it comes to engaging with business, we can encounter values from three distinct sources. Each individual’s personal values interact with other sets of values, associated with their type of job role that they undertake and with the organisation in which they are working (Figure 1). Click on each source to see the values they represent.
Figure 1 (interactive) Values in the workplace
These three sources of values are constantly interacting. For some individuals the three sets of values might be in perfect alignment, while for others there may be conflicts and tensions at play. These can make it difficult for advisors coming from outside. Nonetheless, understanding the values of your audience, and tailoring your message to speak to those values, can help advisors to be more effective in their work.
Thinking point
How do these three sources of influence – organisation, job role and personal – affect you in your own life? Do you agree with the idea that individuals can only have job satisfaction if the values from each of these sources are aligned?