A huge
number of business books, models, seminars, and gurus have championed
the "bigger view" as the solution to dealing with our complex world.
Clarifying major goals and values, so the thinking goes, gives order,
meaning, and direction to our work. In practice, however, the
well-intentioned exercise of values thinking too often does not
achieve its desired results.
I have
seen too many of these efforts fail, for one or more of the following
three reasons:
1. There
is too much distraction at the day-to-day, hour-to-hour level of
commitments to allow for appropriate focus on the higher levels.
2.
Ineffective personal organizational systems create huge sub-conscious
resistance to undertaking even bigger projects and goals that will
likely not be managed well, and that will in turn cause even more
distraction and stress.
3. When
loftier levels and values actually are clarified, it raises the bar of
our standards, making us notice that much more that needs changing. We
are already having a serious negative reaction to the overwhelming
number of things we have to do. And what created much of the work
that's on those lists in the first place? Our values!
Focusing
on primary outcomes and values is a critical exercise, certainly. But
it does not mean there is less to do, or fewer challenges in getting
the work done. Quite the contrary: it just ups the ante in the game,
which still must be played day to day. Focusing on values does not
simplify your life. It gives meaning and direction—and a lot more
complexity.
The
overwhelming amount of things that people have to do comes FROM their
values. Values are critical elements for meaning and direction. But
don’t kid yourself – the more you focus on them, the more things
you’re likely to feel responsible for taking on. Your values may make
it easier for you to make decisions but don’t think they’ll make
things any simpler.
