60 minutes (10 minutes for small groups; 10 minutes to record results; 40 minutes for debriefing)
Adaptable M P, T, O, D, M
1. To identify values that are shared by group members
2. To identify values that are not commonly held by all group members
3. To explore ways that difference may foster misunderstanding
4. To examine how values contribute to or interfere with effective organizational behavior
5. To identify how the organization or team can maximize the benefits of values that are shared and the benefits of those that are not
• A watch with a second hand or a stopwatch for each group
• A Values Questions Worksheet for each small group
• Flipchart
1. Ask participants to form groups of 4 and to choose one member to serve as the questioner/recorder. Give these questioners/recorders a copy of the “Values Questions” worksheet and a watch with a second hand or a stopwatch. Ask these individuals to read each question to their group and to record how many seconds it takes for the other 3 members to agree on a yes or no answer.
Note: There is no place to record participant answers because they aren’t important. The key is how long it took the group to come to agreement
Note: Participants may ask whether they are to answer these questions as if they were at work or at home. Point out that our values don’t change just because we change location, although our behaviors—the way we exhibit our values—can change when we go into different settings. Therefore, encourage people to think broadly about how they would respond to these questions. If you experience resistance, encourage them to think about themselves at work, since this is the context in which they are exploring the issues. You may also want to return to this question during debriefing by asking participants how they would have answered things differently for “not at work.” Use this as an opportunity to examine aspects of the work environment that discourage the acknowledgment of one’s personal values in that environment
Note also that the values questions can be modified or questions can be deleted or added based on what is happening in the work environment where you are conducting this activity.
2. While the groups are at work, make up a newsprint chart (or you could prepare handouts ahead of time) for recording group results. The first column will list the questions by number with the primary value on the “Values Questions” worksheet. The second column will list the small groups by number. The third column will be for the recording of small-group agreement times.
3. After the small groups have answered all of the questions, the questioners/recorders will record on the newsprint chart the time it took to reach agreement on each question.
4. Using two criteria, the length of time it took the groups to come to agreement and the number of groups that agreed, examine the values that are shared by participants. As you can see from the sample above, there is pretty strong agreement about persistence, while courtesy was a much more difficult question on which to come to agreement.
1. What values were easy to agree on? Which ones were difficult? Why?
2. How did you feel about your group’s interactions? Decisions? How did you feel when a consensus could not be reached, or when reaching it took longer than you felt it should?
3. Which of your values were most challenged during this process? Why? How did you respond when this happened?
4. What have you learned from your experience today? Which values were most consistent across the small groups? Which ones were most inconsistent? How might these consistencies or inconsistencies affect workplace relationships? Productivity? Communication? Conflict?
5. How could you apply information from this activity to your work life? How can you use the consistencies or inconsistencies to strengthen the organization or team?
1. Not all people share the same values—or place the same importance on values they might actually have in common.
2. Individuals bring their values to work with them and act on them on a daily basis—although not always consciously.
3. Values differences can affect individual and organizational effectiveness.
4. Examining values can foster clarity about differences.
5. Understanding different points of view may be grounds for future cooperation and collaboration.
By creating small groups that are segregated by gender, race/ethnicity, job title, age, or other demographic groupings important in the organization or team being trained, you could talk about why these values differences might exist and how the organization or team can develop operational norms that will reduce potential conflicts and maximize the resource of values differences among the groups.
Adapted from research described by Harry C. Triandis for Culture and Social Behavior, published in 1994 by McGraw-Hill.
Adapted from research described by Harry C. Triandis for Culture and Social Behavior, published in 1994 by McGraw-Hill.