Whenever you have a really big decision to make, the best place to start thinking about it is by identifying what really matters – that is, by clarifying your goals and values. To help with that, the exercise of constructing a “Value Tree” is a great decision support tool. Here you can download a set of instructions on how to create your very own value tree (written by myself and Barry Anderson).
The Research
Value trees (also known as “goal hierarchies” in decision theory) are an established method to support decision-making. Their effectiveness has been evaluated by several independent researchers with real career decisions. Those studies have shown that constructing a goal hierarchy leads people to process more information (Aschenbrenner et al., 1980, Paul, 1984), come up with more specific, rather than generic, goals (Teuscher, 2003), and be more satisfied with their decisions (Paul, 1984).
The Practice
It’s easy to do this exercise by yourself, but the value tree is also great decision support tool to use in a coaching setting. Therefore, a part of our instructions are addressed to counselors, coaches and facilitators who may want to start using this method. A value tree can be especially helpful for couples or groups who are tackling decisions together.
Below are a few examples of value trees that my clients or students created. While you probably won’t be able to read the content in these images, I hope the examples will encourage you to grab your own block of sticky notes and get started – and don’t hesitate to personalize this exercise.
References:
Aschenbrenner, K. M., Jaus, D., and Villani, C. (1980). Hierarchical goal structuring and pupils’ job choices: testing a decision aid in the field. Acta Psychologica, 45:35–49.
Paul, G. (1984). Entscheidungshilfen im Studien- und Berufswahlprozess. Peter Lang, Frankfurt.
Teuscher, U. (2003). Evaluation of a decision training program for vocational guidance. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 3:177–192.
by Ursina Teuscher (PhD), at Teuscher Decision Coaching, Portland OR
You must be logged in to post a comment.