Values checklist ¹

 

This is a resource file which supports the regular public program "areol" (action research and evaluation on line) offered twice a year beginning in mid-February and mid-July.  For details email Bob Dick  bdick@scu.edu.au  or  bd@uq.net.au

...  in which you have the opportunity to analyse and learn from an interaction which you would like to have handled better, or more easily, or more satisfyingly than you did

 

Overview of process

• Answer the questionnaire in the top row of each set of 5 boxes, following the instructions below
   
• Choose a system to analyse, for instance using a two-column analysis as described later
   
• Answer the questionnaire in terms of the behaviour or observations from the situation you have analysed, using the lower row of boxes for each pair of items
   
• Choose those items where there is a difference between the two ratings for an item, and where you are surprised at the difference
   
• Develop personal action plans to make use of the insights 

 

(You can use this checklist in conjunction with the values workbook if you wish)

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Take a few minutes to respond to the following instrument. It describes actions which have implications for learning. Read each pair of items, and decide how you would like to be able to behave (you may or may not behave in this way).

If you would like to favour one of the two actions strongly, and this is important to you, place a tick in the space near that item. If you favour one item only to some extent, or you favour it strongly but don't regard it as important, tick partway between that item and the middle. If you genuinely can't decide, or think an item is completely unimportant, tick the middle of the space.

You will return to this later, and compare your actual behaviour in the situation you analyse to the preferred behaviour you indicate now. These items are for your own learning; you are able to choose the extent to which you reveal them to others.

You will probably get the best results if you do not agonise too long over any one response.

Note that you are being asked to respond in terms of how you would like to behave, not necessarily in terms of how you think you actually behave.

Note, too, that this is an instrument for reflection and learning, not for research. It is not known how accurate it would be if used as a measure.

The easiest way to use it is to print it out.

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Model 1		Model 2
Pursue own goals perhaps without making them explicit		Explicitly and jointly define all goals before proceeding
Act unilaterally to control the environment or situation		Involve other(s) in defining and managing the situation
Other person seems to perceive you as defensive		Other person seems to perceive you as not defensive
Try to win, using a win/ lose style if necessary		Work to achieve outcomes for both self and other
Unilaterally define and manage the task		Explicitly and jointly define and manage the task
Resulting relationships tend to be defensive		Resulting relationships are not defensive
You maintain your values whatever happens		You are open to revising your values in the light of developments
Act to minimise negative feelings for self and other		Express negative feelings openly and clearly
Unilaterally engage in actions to protect self		Express vulnerability and invite other to assist
Defensive norms: tit for tat behaviour		Non-defensive norms: expose your and others' defensive behaviour
Conceal your assumptions about others' motives		Reveal your assumptions before acting on them
Act to encourage rationality implicitly or explicitly		Encourage expression of feelings and express your own feelings
Act unilaterally to protect others from hurt		Reveal perceived hurt to others before acting
Actions tend to generate low commitment from others		Actions tend to generate high commitment from others
Style of interaction tends to persist over time		Style of interaction improves over time through joint effort
Present information selectively		All relevant information is provided
Act to limit the choices open to other person		Create environments which maximise personal freedom
Treat process as given once begun or decided		Encourage others to express dissatisfaction with processes
Learning is unilateral or implicit or ignored		Jointly draw explicit learning from interaction
React defensively if others voice their assumptions		Encourage others to voice their assumptions
Partial censorship of some beliefs or feelings		Open expression of almost all beliefs and feelings

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  There are several ways you can use this instrument. The most promising use is probably to choose some recurring situation that you find difficult, and analyse it. A useful form of analysis is the "two-column analysis" that Argyris often uses.

  

  To do this, take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle.  At the top of the left hand column write “Things I thought and felt”.  At the top of the right hand column write “Things anyone said and did”.

  In the right hand column write a "script" of what happened -- who said and did what?

  Then, in the left hand column, write the thoughts and feelings that you experienced at the time.

  Then mark in some way the thoughts and feelings in the left hand column which are not expressed in the right-hand column.

  Finally, use the instrument to analyse the values expressed by your behaviour in this situation. Consider those values which differ most from your first answer to the second answer.

  You can also show your two-column analysis to others, and invite them to fill in the instrument in terms of your apparent values as expressed in the situation.

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  Notes

  1. Tim Dalmau helped with earlier versions of this material.
      

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  Copyright (c) Bob Dick 2000.  May be copied provided it is not included in material sold at a profit, and this and the following notice are shown

  This document may be cited as follows:

  Dick, B.  (2000) Values checklist.  [Available online].
  http://www.uq.net.au/action_research/arp/valques.html

 
Maintained by Bob Dick; this version 1.02w last revised 20000520

A text version is also available at URL ftp://ftp.scu.edu.au/www/arr/valques.txt