Decisions based on Values

Decisions based upon Values

Once we are clear on what some of our values are, we can use them to make decisions. Some of our toughest decisions are what job to seek and accept, what projects to complete and what volunteer opportunities we should say “Yes” to our involvement. We simply have to notice how each is related to our values. Can we express our values freely in each environment? Do our values match up so we can fully engage them to create success? Once we are clear on our values we can use them to determine the best way to utilize our time and weed out that which would be unproductive for us.

For example, one client taught me that he chooses volunteer opportunities based upon qualifications. He found that he was receiving a multitude of volunteer opportunities, so many that he couldn’t accept them all. He leveraged his value of making the biggest impact to determine where best to put his time and energy. He would first determine if he was uniquely qualified to fill the role asked of him. He would determine if there was something unique that he could give more than others. If the answer was “No” then he would pass however, if the answer was “Yes” he would further consider the possibility. His next step was to look at the time commitment, the schedule and energy needed to fulfill asks. If this all meshed then he would take the volunteer opportunity. This was a win for both the client and the organization because both got “the best” for the efforts.

In my life, I recently uncovered that appreciation is a very important value for me. This actually surprised me. However, it has led me to make decisions based upon whether the opportunity creates a space for me to give appreciation and receive appreciation. Since my volunteer time fills quickly, I may pass on an opportunity that doesn’t allow me to utilize this value in some way.

We must all think about how to best use our time and energy. This week let’s work on using our values as the starting point to make decisions about opportunities that arise. First make a list of your values so that when an opportunity arises you are prepared to run down your value list to see if it’s a good fit for you. Say “Yes” to those that are and “No” to those that aren’t.