CLARIFYING YOUR VALUES / 27ASK YOURSELF...
About your influences YES NO1 Can I identify the individuals and the events that
influenced the development of my value system? .........................2 Are these sources of influence still as important to me
as recent events and people who influence me now? ....................3 Are my values still appropriate as guides of behavior
in the world I live in today? ..............................................................4 Should I consider changing some of my values to make
them more relevant? .......................................................................the nature of reward systems, or the
degree of intimacy in work relationships.
Having a clear understanding of your
own personal value set will help you
to manage these conflict situations. If
you are clear about your own values, you
can act with integrity and practice what
you preach regardless of emotional or
social pressure. To address a conflict
situation, first make sure you are aware
of, understand, and are tolerant of
the value differences held by the
other parties. This will help
you determine whether
the value conflict is, in fact,
irresolvable and will require
personnel changes, or
whether compromises
and adjustments
can be made to
accommodate
the different
perspectives.TYPES OF VALUE
Values can be classified
into two types: terminal
and instrumental. Terminal
values (your “ends” in life) are
desirable ends or goals, such
as a comfortable, prosperous
life, world peace, great wisdom,
or salvation. Instrumental
values (the “means” to those
ends) are beliefs about what
behaviors are appropriate in
striving for desired goals and
ends. Consider a manager
who works extra hours to help
deliver a customer’s rush order.
The attitude displayed is a
willingness to help a customer
with a problem. The value that
serves as the foundation of
this attitude might be that
of service to others.In focus
US_026-027_Clarifying_Your_Values.indd 27 30/05/16 3:00 pm