Establishing your own work values will help you build a much more rewarding career. This article was taken from the comprehensive ‘career management’ module in Harvard ManageMentor®, the CPD resource available to members in the members webcast section of CIMA Professional Development.
People mean many different things when they speak of values. For example, many of us speak of family values, national values, or spiritual values.
Work values constitute a special set of values. Specifically, they're the values you place on the various rewards that you might get in return for performing your job. They are the values that motivate you and give you energy and excitement about your work.
Here are some examples of work values:
- Financial rewards convey financial security and stability. They might include a predictable salary, benefits, future employment, and the opportunity to acquire wealth.
- Task rewards include intellectual challenge and mental stimulation.
- People rewards are associated with affiliation - the opportunity to work with colleagues you like and admire.
- Career rewards provide you access to people and opportunities that will position you well for your next career move.
- Lifestyle rewards such as work/life balance allow you time to pursue other important aspects of your life, such as family or leisure activities.
How can you measure the importance you place on different kinds of professional rewards? Defining your work values is a good start.
Why clarify your values?
Fyodor Dostoyevsky said: ‘For the secret of man's being is not only to live but to have something to live for.’
Clarifying your values offers several benefits. It increases the likelihood that you'll choose satisfying work. It may be difficult to find one position that satisfies all of your work values. But if what you're doing for work doesn't provide enough of the rewards that you consider most important, you probably won't remain happy in it for very long.
It lets you shop more efficiently for the right developmental opportunities. Just as you can evaluate a potential computer purchase much more quickly if you keep a few must-have features in mind, you can judge a work opportunity more wisely if you remember your most crucial rewards.
It helps you match your reward values to an organisation's or department's culture. Work rewards manifest themselves in an organisation's or department's culture - the way people do things, what they expect, what they think is most important, and so forth. A large company's different departments (for example, engineering, sales, or human resources) might have markedly different cultures. By knowing your values, you can pick the culture that will provide those rewards.
How to clarify your values
There are many different ways to clarify your values. Here are just a few.
Use tools
You can use various checklists or worksheets to identify your top work values, including those in HMM.
Ask reflective questions
Try these questions for reflection:
- Think of times when you've passionately debated something with another person. What issues did the debates centre on? Which side did you take? Why?
- Is there anything for which you'd be willing to give up everything you own? If so, what is it?
- If you could share the one most important thing you've learned in your life with someone else, what would it be? The answers to these questions give you clues to your deepest values.
Consult close friends and colleagues
Ask them what values they think are most important to you. For example, what do they see you getting most excited about in your work?
In clarifying values, many people face a common temptation to list values that they think they should have - like altruism. Many avoid listing values they think they shouldn't have - like desire for prestige or financial gain. Be as honest as you possibly can when doing this exercise. Genuine answers will make it much easier for you to evaluate and choose the best possible work opportunities for you.
Members can take the interactive assessment in Harvard ManageMentor® – available in the members webcast section in CIMA Professional Development - to help find out where their values lie.
May 2009