Under pressure

Our workplaces have their challenges. I’ve been thinking about the impact of those challenges on our personal values. Here are three brief reflections:

Reflection #1: Workplace challenges can shed light on what our personal values actually are

‘Personal values’ represent what is important to us. If we define personal values quite broadly they can include attributes such as patience, competitiveness or approval, or ‘things’ such as family, work-life balance or health.

The problem is, personal values aren’t necessarily that easy to identify. Firstly, they differ from person to person. Secondly, they are somewhat ‘fuzzy’. And thirdly, we can be tempted to identify what we think are the nicer, more presentable ones.

When it comes to identifying her personal values, a friend of mine says she asks herself these questions: “What do I fear?” “What is my worst nightmare?” She says that what we are afraid of losing can be an indication of what is important to us. That's insightful.

Of course we can ask ourselves these questions at any time. However, when we ask them as we experience that nightmare - or the shadow of one - they can become powerful moments of self-insight. For example, someone who is significant to you discredits your work and it’s then you realise just how important competency is to you.

This friend also says that it’s good to be honest when it comes to our personal values so that we don’t deceive ourselves. Take for instance work-life balance. I could not respond to an after work email on the grounds that this is non-work time. Or I could not respond because I’m lazy. Outwardly either way I look like I’m honouring my personal value of work-life balance. But the motivations are vastly different.

Q. Think of some workplace challenges you have experienced. What light does it shed on what your personal values could be? (There is a pdf exercise here if that helps).

Q. What do you think is a good and right exercise of each of your personal values?

Reflection #2. Workplace challenges foster competition between our personal values

Life is best when we can live it in accord with all of our personal values.

Workplace challenges can highlight the competition between our personal values, and force us to make choices.

Another example. A second friend of mine shared with me how two of her personal values are patience and doing quality work. Apply the pressure of a tight deadline and what goes out the window first? - Patience.

The choices we make are like a mirror. They reveal something of the relative importance of our personal values when we are under pressure and become reactive and are less able to make thoughtful choices.

Patience is an important personal value to this friend, and she doesn’t want to sacrifice it. So she spends time reviewing her behaviour over the past week and reminding herself why her personal values are important to her. She will make corrections - go and apologise to someone for her impatience, for example - if she needs to. That's honest.

Q. Think of some workplace challenges you have experienced. What light does it shed on the relative importance of your personal values?

Q. In this workplace challenge, what would thoughtful choices around your personal values look like?

Reflection #3. Workplace challenges help us to see the bigger reality behind our personal values

There’s a saying: ‘You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond’. Let’s assume that workplace challenges are largely out of our control or even influence. Controlling how we respond isn’t straightforward or easy when we are under pressure and our personal values compete with each other.

A third friend of mine reminded me that it’s good to take a step back and gain some perspective. She’s endured some nightmarish workplace challenges. As a follower of Jesus she found strength, comfort and healing in being able to lean into the one who she believes is in control. In Jesus she found the resources to live life more aligned with her personal values even when that put her at odds with what other people wanted from her. That's inspiring.

Q. How does your world view help you to make sense of both your workplace challenges and your personal values?