What makes you do what you do? The Value Mapping tool helps you answer this by enabling you to describe the values which are embodied in your personal work and in the wider organisation. These values are probably more influential than anything else in shaping what you do. They might be something that you take for granted, that you think is obvious, or that you’ve never actually articulated or written down. Defining these values however can be very useful when trying to explain your work to other colleagues and partners. Once the values are defined, they can be shared and act as a common reference point that simplifies and speeds up decisions, whilst also ensuring consistency in the work that you do. This is a seemingly simple task, but one which can be hugely valuable when done properly – something this worksheet helps you to do. It can be especially useful to bring all team members on the same page during projects by having the team first make their personal value maps and then match these with each other.
Start by individually writing down on a piece of paper or a series of cards, what you feel is most valuable for yourself as well as for the organisation. Think of these personal values as the things that make you feel truly alive and passionately committed to what you are doing in your business. For one person it might be things like helping others, for another it might be creativity or innovation, for someone else it might be honesty, ecological awareness or leadership. Write down a lot of them – even the ones that you are aware of but are less important to you. When you have noted down a wide range of values (ten or more), place them in the relevant fields on the worksheet. Don’t worry about getting it right first time – swap them around until you have them in the right place. To focus your activities, have a maximum of five in the ‘Always Important’ column. Ask your other team members to do the same. Once all their worksheets have been defined, these can be shared and agreed upon. Showing your completed worksheet to someone who knows you well and asking for their feedback helps to clarify what is important to you. Together you can establish what values are important to the organisation as a whole.
Latest User Experience
Mary Mutuku
Poverty Eradication Network
User Rating: 4
I have always been guided by my values and never sat down to analyze them broadly the way I have done today. I have learnt that as an organization its noble to be reminding our staff members and especially the new ones of our values to maintain our image as well as achieve effective service delivery
Rebecca Zeigler Mano
Education Matters
User Rating: 4
Interesting to have to differentiate one’s individual values from an organizational set of values, especially in the position of Founder/Director.
Suliaman Turay
Social Development International
User Rating: 4
An exercise worth taking to rekindle our values with stakeholders
TELESPHORE EKKA
SAMAJ PRAGATI KENDRA
User Rating: 5
Individual values and organizational values combined gives a better result. The quality of performance become effective. Diversity of values brings differences in organizational functioning.
Rebecca Maile Zeigler Mano
Education Matters
User Rating: 4
Useful way to remember why we do what we do and to ensure our stated organizational values align with the actual.