Getting to Know You

Work Values Exercise

HANDOUT # 1

Procedure

Break into teams. Respond and discuss your answers to each of the questions listed in Handout #1. The definition of value is an aspect related to behavior that often influences a person's choices about where to invest their energy

Questions:

1. When was the first time in your life that you worked?

Describe what you did.
How did you know it was work?

2. What was positive about this experience?

What was negative about this experience?

3. What did you learn from this and subsequent experiences about yourself and work? (For example, why you work, what you need in order to work well?

4. What messages or lessons did you get from your family about work? Who taught you? How?

Examples:
“I learned that I can’t stand tedious jobs.” (work value, variety).
“I learned that the people work with are important” (work value relationships).

Handout #2

Definition of Value

A principle or quality intrinsically valuable or desirable (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary). an aspect related to behavior that often influences a person's choices about where to invest their energy.

Procedure

Based on your previous discussions, pick the three most important values from Handout #2 and continue to do the following:

1. Talk about the values you chose, why you picked them and what they mean for you.
2. Discuss how you believe your values differ from the values of the team as a whole.
3. Talk about what needs to change in order for you to feel more comfortable or committed to the team.

The Team Leader should facilitate a discussion with your team on the ways that culture and class have an impact on your work attitudes and values. Patterns to look for usually emerge along gender, ethnic, and social class patterns. Then discuss how these patterns have affected their goals in school.

OUTCOME:

Utilize this information to help set the ground rules for your team.

Work Values
Respect
Communication
Clear Purpose
Relationships working with others
Individual achievement
Challenging work
Contribution to goals/ sense of accomplishment
Recognition
Rewards
Security
Chance to develop/improve
Efficiency
Good Pay/benefits
Variety of work
Control over work
Environment/surroundings
Others

Answer these Questions:

1. Are your values reflected in the team’s values?
2. How are your values reflected in the group? What values are they?
3. What purpose do they serve?
4. Do you notice similarities/differences based on culture? age? Gender?
5. Ideally, what should the team’s values be? How can you move from the real towards the ideal?