Values

Goals

  1. Describe values.
  2. Know and follow your values.
  3. Grok how import values are to actions and affect.

What

Values are relatively stable standards of worth that determine what counts as desirable or undesirable and how strongly, across situations and over time.

A value is a standard of worth that guides judgment and choice, especially under tradeoffs.

Values specify what counts as desirable or undesirable and how strongly those judgments are weighted.

In short:

Values characterize what matters and how much it matters.

Two core factors:

  1. Valence

: Desirable versus undesirable.

  1. Weight

: How much so (priority, importance, tradeoff strength).

Values are normative standards used to evaluate outcomes and resolve tradeoffs. They are not preferences or momentary feelings.

Examples:

Desirable outcomes
accuracy
truth
wellbeing
safety
results
success
autonomy
respect
friendship
happiness
ease
concision
pleasant sensory experiences (e.g., smells)
status
Undesirable outcomes
cost
waste
busywork
hassles
confusion
mistakes
typos
being conned
injustice
conflict
stress
rejection
embarrassment
pain
injury
sickness
spoiled food

Analysis

Analysis of Values: {standard, valence, weight, stability}

Standard
The criterion of worth used to evaluate outcomes and guide judgment and choice.
Valence
Whether an outcome is judged desirable or undesirable relative to the standard.
Weight
How much the value matters relative to other values when making tradeoffs (priority or importance).
Stability
The tendency of the value to remain relatively constant across time and contexts, though it may evolve gradually.

Rationale (WIFM)

Becoming skilled at knowing and following values provides powerful benefits:

  1. You will maximize your chances of getting the things that matter most to you.
  2. You will avoid what is not aligned with what you truly care about.
  3. You will stay aligned — what drives your actions will match what you say you value.
  4. You will understand how values drive both good and bad behavior (crime, fraud, cheating, lying, revenge) and manage this effectively in yourself.
  5. You will be on top of what drives human behavior, giving you clarity and influence.

Skill with Values (How To)

Your Values

  1. Group your values (ethical, professional, group, personal).
  2. Continually write down and prioritize your values within each category.
  3. State your values as propositions, not labels. Example: not “Freedom,” but “Freedom to make my own choices matters to me.”
  4. Understand and manage competing values. For example: “I love adventure, but I also value thrift.” Skill with values means recognizing such conflicts and learning how to prioritize wisely.

Values of Others

  1. People’s actions are driven by their values.
  2. Argyris & Schön’s Theory:
    • Most people have values they claim drive their behavior (espoused values).
    • In practice, their actions are often driven by hidden values that differ (enacted values).
    • If you make this gap visible, they may resist strongly, since it threatens their self-image.
  3. Values drive good behavior, bad behavior, and everything in between.
  4. Groups also have values, which shape their culture and collective decisions.

Value Claims

A value claim is an assertion about reality that is based on applying a value (a standard).

Example
Stealing is wrong.
States something about reality.
Applies a standard (Fairness or Honesty)

Examples of Value Claims