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: 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

Commencement Wrap Up 2022

by Lynn Barendsen

For the first time in a couple of years, it appears that a majority of Commencement celebrations have taken place in person. College seniors—who have certainly seen their share of disruption over the past two years—gathered together with family, friends and mentors to celebrate their accomplishments and mark the transition into their next stage of life.

And, in another return to relative “normalcy,” dignitaries from multiple worlds stood behind podiums to offer wisdom to the class of 2022, many of whom are poised to enter the working world. Perhaps not surprisingly, we see a number of good-work related themes in their words.

Vice President Kamala Harris, addressing the graduating class at Tennessee State University, emphasized the unique promise of this class. Here at The Good Project, we might understand her advice as turning “obstacles into opportunity” as she points to their particular vantage point and the possibilities they might see from their perspective:

“As the class of 2022, you bring possibility to the table.  You are a generation that grew up online and survived a pandemic.  You are familiar with a world that, for many of us, feels a bit strange and new.  You have been engaged with this world since you were little… Most importantly, you have the ability to see what can be, unburdened by what has been.  To look at the challenges facing us and find solutions that generations before could have never imagined.”

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, addressing the graduating class at the University of Pennsylvania, used the moment to talk about responsibility, and to place the responsibility for change squarely on the shoulders of the graduates:

"We've nearly broken this Republic of ours, but somehow you've got to fix it. You're going to have to initiate a new movement, a new Union Army, that must be dedicated above all else—including your career and personal advancement—to the preservation of this country's civic ideals. You'll have to learn, and then re-teach the rest of us that equality—real equality is the hallmark and birthright of all Americans."

Grammy award winning musician Taylor Swift, addressing the graduating class at NYU, emphasized the importance of learning and resilience (or, in good work terms, pausing to find time to reflect before moving forward):

“There will be times in life when you need to stand up for yourself. Times when the right thing is to back down and apologize. Times when the right thing is to fight, times when the right thing is to turn and run. Times to hold on with all you have and times to let go with grace. Sometimes the right thing to do is to throw out the old schools of thought in the name of progress and reform. Sometimes the right thing to do is to listen to the wisdom of those who have come before us. How will you know what the right choice is in these crucial moments? You won’t… hard things will happen to us. We will recover. We will learn from it. We will grow more resilient because of it.”

Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and chief executive of Chobani, spoke to the graduating class at Northeastern University. He told a classic “good work” story, one in which he was torn between responsibilities as he tried to build a business that was at once, good to his employees and good for business. Ulakaya explained that as Chobani started to grow, he realized that there was a community of refugees close by who were eager for employment. He was advised not to hire them, that his company would be boycotted, and that IF he decided to hire them, he should certainly keep this fact quiet. His response—and his encouragement to new graduates—was to find and speak their own truth:

“I said, ‘If I’m going to lose everything, I’m going to speak the truth!’ That’s what we did. We hired a few refugees, and then we hired more, and we hired more. Today, we are the leading brand of Greek yogurt in America—and we have hundreds and hundreds of immigrants and refugees working for us in Idaho and upstate New York.”

Finally, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern, speaking at Harvard’s Commencement, spoke to the importance of embracing diverse opinions, productive disagreement and trust: 

“The issues we navigate as a society will only intensify. The disinformation will only increase. The pull into the comfort of our tribes will be magnified. But we have it within us to ensure that this doesn’t mean we fracture. We are the richer for our difference, and poorer for our division. Through genuine debate and dialogue, through rebuilding trust in information and one another, through empathy – let us reclaim the space in between. After all, there are some things in life that make the world feel small and connected, let kindness be one of them.”

These commencement speakers relayed messages of hope and overcoming obstacles with tenacity at a time when the challenges we face feel unprecedented. Originally intended for the graduates, their words offer a source of much-needed inspiration for all of us.

The Good Project Core Concepts: Responsibility

by Lynn Barendsen

As we think about what’s involved in carrying out good work and the challenges we face in our efforts, whether or not we realize it, issues of responsibility are often at the core of our decision-making. Some examples:

• Should I stick to my principles and speak up in a group meeting or go along with a majority that feels otherwise? 

• Should I confront my colleague about hurtful actions or remain quiet in an effort to keep the peace? 

• Should I tell the truth or remain quiet to protect someone close to me?

In the mid 1990s, when we began our research into what eventually became a study of good work, we interviewed well over a thousand workers in a variety of different domains. One of the most revealing questions we asked was “to whom or what do you feel responsible in your work?” Using this question as a reflection prompt for students and for educators, we have been struck by the impact of this simple inquiry. One student, having written a long list of his responsibilities, said “no wonder I’m so stressed!” Of course, simply making a list of responsibilities doesn’t mean that choices between them are spontaneously clear or obvious. But the process does help to reveal the factors that pull us in various directions, and sometimes this additional information can aid in decision-making.

When we grapple with ethical dilemmas, we are often wrestling with conflicting responsibilities:  responsibilities to ourselves, to our friends, to our families, to our co-workers, our workplace or profession, or to the wider world. Some of us express a sense of responsibility to our religion, to our identity or identities, to principles or ideals. Responsibility is a core idea on The Good Project for many reasons: how we understand our responsibilities (and which responsibilities take priority) is closely related to what we value and, which of those values have priority, how we construe our roles in the world, and what we understand our identities to be. Taking ownership for our work and its impact on the world is key to our understanding of what it means to do good work.

Over the years, we have written a great deal on the topic of responsibility. In fact, we’ve written an entire book on the topic, where various authors examine different aspects of responsibility through the lens of “good work” and additional perspectives: i.e., the relationship between creativity and responsibility, how responsibility may be understood differently by various groups (genders, types of workers, individuals who are/are not religious), considering responsibility as an “ability” to be responsive. 

In the world of education, teachers juggle multiple responsibilities, and during these past few years, many have felt overburdened by them. Although many tell us they feel their primary responsibility is to their students, they are conflicted about how best to fulfill these obligations. Some examples of dilemmas in which teachers struggle with responsibility might be found here (links in titles):

• The Protest: A teacher struggles to decide whether to take a stance about an issue she believes in (responsibility to ideal) or to respect another’s privacy (responsibility to colleague).

• Discriminating Decisions: An educator is deeply conflicted about following directions at work when the request conflicts with her core beliefs (responsibility to workplace versus responsibility to an ideal).

• The Meaning of Grades: A professor grapples between his responsibility to his beliefs (learning for learning’s sake) versus responsibility to his students (opportunities that might be lost if their grades aren’t top notch).

• Looking Good: The issue of grade inflation is explored from a slightly different angle as a teacher in a new pilot school is torn between his responsibilities to his students and to the school itself.

• Excellence at Risk: A teacher’s safety is at risk when a student threatens her, and she is torn about whether or not to press charges (responsibilities to self, to student, to the community).

We offer a number of additional resources on our website that address responsibility in various ways:

• This video describes the research findings that led to the development of the Circles of Responsibility.

• These writing prompts which encourage reflection about our various obligations and decision-making.

• This video, in which the GP team uses the idea of responsibility to unpack and analyze an ethical dilemma from our dilemmas database.

• Several blogs tackle the topic of responsibility from varied angles. Howard Gardner uses the rings of responsibility in this blog to analyze the life and work of John F. Kennedy. Two blogs consider responsibility in light of the COVID pandemic: Shelby Clark writes about encouraging student responsibility during the pandemic here; in this blog, Kirsten McHugh uses the rings of responsibility as a tool to reflect on how understandings of personal and professional responsibilities since the beginning of the pandemic.

Revisiting responsibilities regularly can be a useful exercise, especially as most of us are regularly juggling multiple obligations. Taking the time to pause, reflect and consider our responsibilities (perhaps using the 5 Ds as a guide) may help to identify core values driving our work.

Values in the Pandemic: Have They Shifted, and if so, How?

by Lynn Barendsen

What do we value, and how do we spend our time?  Both are key topics on the Good Project; it’s my hunch that responses to both questions have been considerably impacted by the pandemic.  In what follows, I review some research evidence and share my own reflections.

In my analysis, perhaps not surprisingly, values HAVE shifted. Perhaps more puzzling is the nature of the relationship between our values and how we occupy ourselves.  As we all know, the past two years have seen a remarkable change in our daily activities as we’ve adjusted (and readjusted, and then readjusted again) to the realities of life during a pandemic. So: have our values evolved because our activities have changed, or have we changed our activities because of what we value?

How we spend our time is clearly related to what we value.  Perhaps we do what we do because of what we value, or alternatively, perhaps we recognize our values—and whether or not they are being honored-- because of how we’ve been spending our time.  As this (link here) New York Times article points out, during the pandemic, individuals spent far more time alone, or only with close family members.  For some, this may mean a renewed appreciation of solitude (what they have); for others it may mean a recognition of the value of spending time with other family and friends (what they can’t have).

Two studies help to unpack these issues a bit more. A study (link here) of over 1000 Australians, ranging in age from 18-75, was conducted over several years (both pre and post pandemic);  the study revealed two sets of contact post pandemic (one at the beginning, and one 8-9 months later).    Using Shalom Schwartz’s (link here) categorization of values, the authors cite four sets of values: conservation values, openness to change values, self-transcendence values and self-enhancement values.  Three of the four categories (all but self-enhancement values) changed during the pandemic.  Conservation values (keeping safe, preserving order, stability and tradition) all became more important at the beginning of the pandemic, and as time passed, remained consistent at their new level.  Perhaps in this case, the actions related to “staying safe” and positive results reinforced the importance of the value of stability.

Openness to change values (independence, seeking adventure, creativity, change) decreased at the beginning of the pandemic, but later, increased.  At the beginning of the pandemic, individuals had less opportunity for adventure, certainly outside their homes; as time went on, perhaps adventure and creativity became increasingly important as individuals sought alternative modes of entertainment.  

Self-transcendence values (caring for others and for the world) were initially stable, but later decreased.  The authors suggest that perhaps as a result of being so focused on self-preservation, individuals had little capacity left for empathy. Importantly, many countries were more severely impacted by the pandemic than Australia, so it’s crucial to consider alternative, more extensive studies. 

Another study (link here) was conducted by the research agency Glocalities. Investigators interviewed 8,761 individuals in 24 countries, 9 months apart, at the beginning and end of 2020. The study sought to understand how the pandemic impacted individuals’ beliefs and values.

Not surprisingly, individuals increasingly value health and precautions, or taking care. As freedoms became more limited (i.e., as a result of lockdowns), they became more valued.  Additionally, a heightened awareness of economic disparities has led to increased calls for equity. The report concludes that although individuals are increasingly pessimistic and worried, they are simultaneously revisiting their values and thinking more about others besides themselves.  Interestingly, this contradicts the Australian study (which found a decrease in caring for others and the world). 

These are just a few examples of what will likely become an ongoing investigation into the impact of these past two years on individual values.  Clearly there are ambiguities that need to be resolved. Whether these initial trends are short or long term, whether they hold true across racial, cultural, socio-economic and other differences, is still to be determined.  But these are important questions, and we will continue to look for any emerging patterns.

Closer to home, over the course of the pandemic, our GP Team has had many conversations with colleagues (and ourselves) about values.  We consider ourselves fortunate. Although each of us have been impacted both personally and professionally by the pandemic, unlike many around the world, we have been able to keep working and able to do so from the safety of our homes. Of course there have been challenges (juggling parenting responsibilities with work responsibilities, for example), but for the most part, we have all appreciated supportive colleagues and work that feels important and timely. 

Additionally, we’ve remarked upon the fact that ethical dilemmas (a core component of Good Project resources) are in abundance these days. Constantly struggling with the best decision (as it’s not always clear that there’s one “right” answer) is important and exhausting. Often it comes down to values, and what we value most.  Or, as Michael Rozier explains, “our choices, individually and collectively, reveal who we are and who we want to be.”  In an article (link here) written relatively early during the pandemic (May 2020), this scholar asserts that the pandemic offers an opportunity to embrace previously undervalued virtues such as self-sacrifice and prudence.

Curious to consider whether – and, if so, how-- our own values have shifted over the past two years, four of us recently revisited the value sort (link here). Interestingly, three of us rated “creating balance in one’s life” and “rewarding and supportive relationships” in our top four values.  Three of us also had either “understanding, helping, serving others” or “social concerns, pursuing the common good” as one of our top 4.

I don’t want to speak for others, but for me the exercise brought about some useful realizations. I recognized that balance feels more important than it has before because the line between my personal and professional lives feels more blurred. For the bulk of the past few years, both my husband and I have been working from home, and for some of that time, our two college-aged sons were also working at home. We tried hard, for example, to make weekends feel different from the week and to establish boundaries.  Now that our sons have returned to college and it’s just the two of us, it’s easier to just keep working well into the evening, and balance becomes increasingly important. This was exacerbated during the lockdown when our usual exercise (regular martial arts practice at our dojo) was impossible. I recognize that I value balance more because I’ve missed it, and because I realize how essential it is to my peace of mind.

Additionally, both the pandemic and our current fraught political climate have made me more aware than ever of economic disparities. Financial status has had a major impact on how individuals experience the pandemic, and economic divides - previously substantial - have only increased. I feel more responsibility than I ever have before: to do work that’s important, to think about my neighbors, to be careful and responsible in my actions.  The impact of everything we do, of all our actions, feels real, and I’m constantly examining my decision making.  This is why “understanding and helping others” and “honesty and integrity” are in my top four. 

To return then to one of my initial questions: have my values shaped how I spend my time, or is it the other way around?  I’ll hedge and say it depends. There are core values that will always be a part of how I approach the world - “rewarding and supportive relationships” come to mind. No matter what the current climate, these will always be something I place high on my list of values. But other values may shift in and out of the top four depending on events. The momentary pause to reflect is helpful and serves as a check in the midst of an otherwise uncertain time. Am I still acting in ways that are true to me?  What IS important right now?

Have a look at the value sort (link here) and our video (link here) which asks you to consider how you spend your time.  We’d love to hear if you’ve noticed any changes in your own perspective, and if not, why you think your views have remained consistent over time.