Doctors and their personal values
02 June 2014
When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier. Roy E. Disney

I've been writing these blogs for two years now. Looking back over the subjects I've covered, it strikes me that I've never written about personal values. Time to put this right. It is important because if you can identify what really matters to you, and how you want to lead your life, then it makes the choices and uncertainty that you will inevitably face, easier. Most of us assume we know roughly what our values are, but rarely do we actually think it through and identify why those values are vital for us.
When I do this with Doctors I use multiple values that are written onto cards and ask the them to gradually edit down to around five cards. The process of doing this means that the person is reflecting and internally discussing what those words mean for them and why they are important. Of course we will all have different interpretations of these words. One person's 'Happiness' could be another person's 'Health'. But what matters is that that person knows what it means for them.
It can sometimes be quite an emotional experience for people because if identified correctly, these words hold great personal power. Like a compass, they help guide and ground you at times of uncertainty, but they can also help you overcome anxieties or fears that are unhelpful. For example, I'm scared of flying, but one of my core values is 'Courage'. It is this value that gets me on the plane because it is more important to me to live by this, than to succumb to my fear.
Values influence every aspect of our lives: our moral judgments, our responses to others, our commitments to personal and organizational goals. Values set the parameters for the hundreds of decisions we make every day. Jim Kouzes & Barry Posner
Sometimes this process highlights for people that they are not living by some of their core values, or that some values contradict each other. This insight into our personal drivers can help us identify why we are unhappy or uncomfortable with decisions or situations. It's worth thinking about.
Tips for identifying your values:
- 1. Find as many value words as you can and write them down individually on post it notes or scraps of paper.
- 2. Gradually edit them down so you are left with 5-6.
- 3. Talk them through with a friend who can test and challenge what those words mean to you.
- 4. Test them out when faced with a decision and see how the values play a role in your processing.
If you would like to talk over your values call me on 0754 0593476 or email me at alexishutson@yahoo.com