The Value of Values

Somik Rahasomik@valuefound.org

Dimensions of Experiencing Value Value Diagrams The Beyond-Profit Paradigm Beyond-Profit Stories Lets Draw your Value Diagram

AGENDA

Motivating Question

How can we make sure that our decisions are consistent with our values?

Achieving Clarity on Value is a necessary first step

TIME: 4 MINS Make a list of things that you value,

connecting them as you see fit

Exercise

Three dimensions of NATURE OF value

INTRINSIC

PRUDENTIAL

SYSTEMIC

An end-in-itself

A means-to-an-end

Constructs, rules, laws, ideologies

Three dimensions of EXPERIENCING value

Brushing teeth is prudential

Brushing in morning and night is a system

INTRINSIC

PRUDENTIAL

SYSTEMIC

Inseparable part of our identity

Good for us because …

Help us manage our world better

VALUING LIFE OF A SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

Commanding Officer of deceased soldier

INTRINSIC

PRUDENTIAL

SYSTEMIC

Lost a friend/ colleague who cannot be replaced

Deal with bad press, morale, inform family, send replacement, recruit more troops

Number of troop deaths goes up by 1

TIME: 4 MINS Look at your list of values For each item in your list, identify your valuation

as: intrinsic, prudential or systemic

Guide: Intrinsic: You cannot tell me why it is important Prudential: You have a story for why this is good for

you Systemic: You find it important to count this, or

follow this as a rule

Exercise

Value diagrams

Tourism Wildlife

Value

Prudential

Intrinsic

Environment affects my

identity

Environmentalist

Tourism Wildlife

Value

Tourism – doing it for money

Hotel Operator

Tourism Wildlife

Value

Tourism Wildlife

Value

Prudential

Intrinsic

Being able to help people see places affects who I am

Environmentalist A different Hotel Operator

Value diagrams

Tourism Wildlife

Value

Prudential

Intrinsic

Visa Regime

Systemic

Systemic values are

“constraints”

Other common constraints:

“budget,” “FDA Approval”

Constrained Value Diagrams

Canonical Value Diagrams

Value

…

…

Intent: Force discovery of underlying values behind Prudential and Systemic values.

…

Intrinsic Value is a declaration. No proof needed.(you can’t answer why)

Prudential Value is an assertion

Prudential

Intrinsic

Systemic

Systemic Value is a constraint

13

Value

Trauma to Individual (-) Coercion of

Others (-)

Resources Expended

Education(+)

Modified from President Hennessy’s (and CFO’s) value diagram

Prosperity of University

Prudential

Intrinsic

Systemic

Value Diagram of President

Tibetan Independence

(+)

Continuation of Dalai Lama Institution(+) Tibetan

Buddhism (+)

Return to Tibet in

own lifetime (+)

Diplomacy

Western Democracy

14

According to Han-Chinese subject(grew up in Southeast Asia)

Dalai Lama’s Value Diagram

Tibetan Independence

(+)

Continuation of Dalai Lama Institution(+) Tibetan

Buddhism (+)

Return to Tibet in

own lifetime (+)

Diplomacy

Western Democracy

15

According to Han-Chinese subject(grew up in Southeast Asia)

Is this in Canonical Form?

Tibetan Independence

(+)

Continuation of Dalai Lama Institution(+) Tibetan

Buddhism (+)

Return to Tibet in

own lifetime (+)

Diplomacy

Western Democracy

16

According to Han-Chinese subject(grew up in Southeast Asia)

Dalai Lama’s Value Diagram

17

Dalai Lama’s Value Diagram

Expression of Tibetan

Identity (+)

Expression of Buddhism (+)

Expression of World

Citizenship (+)

Non-Violent Mindset

Economic Freedom

Cultural Freedom

Coercion(-)

Accepting Chinese

Rule

“Benefit from the strength of the Chinese”

Non-Violent Action

Chinese Compassion

According to Tibetan subject

Comments from Han-Chinese subject

18

• Han Chinese comment: “Economic freedom” does not lead to “expression of Tibetan identity”• “Uighurs are very entrepreneurial, but not the Tibetans

(laid-back because of religion, 20% monks, bad for production)”

• “… actually the monastic education and culture promotes more peaceful and compassionate actions within society and is the basis of ethics and positive general education.”

• “I am aware China is all about the booming development, but are they enough for the stability and long-term health of a society?”

Han-Chinese

Tibetan

Guo Jia国家

Food for thought

You are your values

TIME: 4 MINS Lay out your intrinsic, prudential and systemic

values in canonical value diagram notation Show it to your neighbor after you’re done to

check that you’ve got the notation correctly

Guide:

Exercise

Prudential

Intrinsic

Systemic

Share your definition of a business with your

neighbor

How do you define business?

When I was your age…

The Monk’s Definition

Reflect on

The most successful businesses that you patronize

Do you just buy their products? Do you also buy into their values?

The “Beyond-Profit” paradigm

Airline Industry

Most profitable airline in the United States for over three decades

Herb Kelleher

 "When I started out, business school professors liked to pose a conundrum: Which do you put first, your employees, your customers, or your shareholders? As if that were an unanswerable question. My answer was very easy: You put your employees first. If you truly treat your employees that way, they will treat your customers well, your customers will come back, and that’s what makes your shareholders happy. So there is no constituency at war with any other constituency. Ultimately, it’s shareholder value that you’re producing."

Herb Kelleher

Watch Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxTFA1kh1m8

The Southwest Culture

In-flight magazine called Spirit

Celebrates employees who manifest “spirit”

Sandwich story

Grandpa story

Watch Freedom Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ewcGP75w8Y

Hi-Tech Industry

Apple

Largest tech company in the world by market capitalization

Values of Apple

We build products that extend human capability, freeing people from drudgery and helping them achieve more than they could alone.

We offer superior products that fill real needs and provide lasting value. We deal fairly with competitors and meet customers and vendors more than halfway. We are genuinely interested in solving customer problems, and we will not compromise our ethics or integrity in the name of profit.

Empathy for Customers/Users

Positive Social Contribution

Steve Jobs Video

Watch:http

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmG9jzCHtSQ

Automobile Industry

World’s largest automobile maker (2008)

Pioneered Lean Manufacturing

Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng_Sa0T04Ts

Are you counting what really counts, but is

uncountable? What is the dollar value of honoring things

that do not have a dollar value?

What is the value of your values?

Questions?

Thank You!