Tool Box Talk: Personal Values, Decision Making and Shared Values

Personal Values Decision Making and Shared Values

Values are a major motivating force for people because they categorize how people attach meaning, worth and importance to things. When a person’s values are matched, they feel complete and satisfied.

If values are not met, there is a sense of dissatisfaction, unease or incongruity. This is something to bear in mind during persuasion and negotiation.

Examples of values are health, pleasure, recognition, safety, integrity, achievement and honesty. These are all quite subjective terms, which mean that they may mean different things to different people.

So how are personal values and decision making related?

Our personal values very much determine our goals and outcomes in life.

The goals we choose are the outer expression of our personal values. And decision making is similarly based upon our core values.

For a start, even choosing your goals is decision making!

A person’s values will determine how they perceive any particular situation. Someone who values ‘safety’ will approach a situation checking for safety versus danger.

A person who values ‘excitement’ will have a different perspective on the same situation and will be searching for different kinds of experiences.

How can we use them?

So how can we benefit from this interaction between personal values and decision making? Well firstly, if you want to know what your personal values are, you only need to think about some of the decisions you have made.

What was important to you at the time? What other factors did you consider? Of all these factors, which was most important? Least important?

Sometimes it’s easier for other people to point out to you what they think your values are. It may be helpful to you to ask others about your personal values and decision making.

Why? Because when you know what you’re personal values are, your decision making becomes infinitely easier.

Shared Values: are those values effectively embodied in an organizational philosophy; are congruent with observed behavior.

We, as individuals, are Desire-Driven, by nature

• In the absence of the desire, no action is performed
• Building our desire for safety individually leads to a common (organizational) desire for safety
• The more individuals of an organization (in all levels) build a desire for safety, the more safety becomes an effective shared value of that organization, and the more safety culture is enhanced.

A Shared Organizational Vision

• Is well understood and accepted by the organization personnel.
• Allows individuals to know what their contribution is and how to achieve it.
• Is ownership builder and provides a feeling of belonging.

Attitude: represents an individual difference which affects personal behavior.

Working attitude: depends on motivation and organizational commitment.

Organizational commitment: is a personal dedication characterized by the belief and acceptance of the vision and values of the organization.

Organizational Commitment induces construction of Shared Vision and Shared Values and an environment where people excel and learn not because they are told to do so, but because they desire to do so.

Safety culture shall not be seen as a part of the organizational culture, but rather as that organizational culture which has safety as a perceived, effectively shared and prevailing value.

And a bonus quote from Thomas Jefferson:

“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

Thanks for the share, TO!