Snap Judgement can Reveal Your Values

Prism Splits the Spectrum

I explained that the Prism Frame is a thinking tool that has us focus on positive and negative values- things we want and value vs. things we want to avoid. It is possible, as with all things related to ‘thinking’, to think about it too much! Especially when it comes to values or decisions of any sort, the choice usually runs deep and touches an emotional core we don’t often show at first, or in public.

So just to practice a quick ‘touching base’ as to values about the following issues or thinking focuses, write down the first few things, both positive and negative values,  that come to mind when you think about these items:

• a boss (even if it’s yourself): (+)   (-)                   
• an office/work space
• your workplace culture
• a life partner
• a vacation
• your health

Here’s another exercise to practice ‘snap judgement’ on your values, as defined here:

You get a hurricane warning to evacuate within 12-24 hours at high risk of flooding and wind destruction to your home. There are a few key items you must take-insurance documents, pet vaccination records, passports and legal documents, medications, water & light snacks. For ‘non-essential’ items, what would you take (in a reasonably sized vehicle)? Not take?

What do you take ? (+)

What do you choose to leave behind and not really miss if it disappears? (-)

Finally, just for fun, and NOT related to the above exercise! Suppose you know you will be taken and dropped on a desert island by yourself for a year, with no means of communication (telephone or internet).

• What one item (or natural grouping-like a set of golf clubs, a notebook & pen, paint set & roll of canvas, 3 juggling balls) would you take with you?
• What one book would you take (besides a religious text)?
• What one piece of music would you want to be able to hear?

Your responses tend to reveal underlying values…things that matter to you that very often are not addressed at a surface level. Left unrecognized and untended, they can fester, and affect your state of health and productivity. In an organization, multiply this affect by everyone present and think about the implications.

Using a simple thinking tool like the Prism Frame can uncover key points of information and help you move forward more effectively, saving time, effort and resources and goodwill.