One cannot talk about values until one has passed the real test of allowing those values to override any temptation to behave in a way that is inconsistent with them. Many organisations and individuals try to declare values without actually proving they really do live by them.
This exercise is about self-knowledge. The actual values come to life only when they are tested, and we can probably agree that COVID-19 represents such a test by offering us an opportunity to rediscover ourselves or our company.
Five steps to discovering real purpose and values
Step 1: Document the story
Keep a diary of the last few months. List all the important moments you have experienced, both large and small. Don't forget about your depressing moments. What did you do at such times? Who was around you? How did you relate to those people?
Step 2: Colour the actions
After documenting your experience during the pandemic, go back to the list and determine what values influenced your decisions, behaviours and actions. Use an easy way to start deciphering your story with COVID-19:
• Mark in red all the moments you took from others.
• Mark in blue all the moments you gave to others.
• What does the story look like now: is it mostly red or blue?
Step 3: Catalogue your actions
Make a list of your values or the values of your organisation and rate them -5 to 5 (-5 = worst, 5 = best). For example, if your organisation has responded safely and successfully to restrictions by moving employees to remote work, this may count as "resilience" and should be marked +5. If an action is the opposite of your value, mark it as negative.
For example:
• courage 5
• creativity 3
• empathy 2
• resistance 2
• self-sufficiency 4
Add up the points. How do you like the picture? What does it tell you about you or your organisation? How do you like what you see through reflected values?
Step 4: Analyse the entire image
At this stage, look at your successes (plusses) and failures (minuses) and think about the root causes.
• Why did you behave in a certain way at those moments?
• What gave you strength during “plus” moments?
• Why did you fail during “minus” moments?
Don't just focus on negative moments. There is a lot to learn from the positive moments. In fact, the plus moments with the highest points probably reflect more what you really are than the minus moments.
Step 5: Confirm your plan
One of the conclusions from step 4 may be that some of your set values do not genuinely reflect who you are: faced with a challenge, you have failed the test of real life. However, through your newly documented story during a pandemic, you can create a realistic set of values which will most likely be a true reflection of yourself or your business.
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