Values.

We had a guest lecture during the Thursday class in week 4 of Virtual Networks. Zoe talked to us about values. Values are principles or beliefs that are important to us and guide our actions and decisions in private and professional life. Even without conscious reflection on them, they are still responsible for who we are and what we do. 

Ikigai represents the intersection of four elements: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what can be paid for. It is a Japanese concept referring to people’s reason for being, the purpose of life and its direction. It is a way of life, not just a theoretical concept. 

Every work, project, and even conversation is an exchange of values between parts. And this exchange happens in every area of our life, in education, job, social, private or business environments. 

We represent specific values that drive us, motivate our actions, and help us question the world around us. We know what is essential to us, what is not good enough, or what can be marked as a minimum and enable us to take steps towards it. In the ideal world, we would always be in a harmony with our values but in the real world, we often have to decide where we are willing to compromise without losing ourselves. We can also learn about new values, and re-evaluate our own life statements.

Zoe also talked about the value of values, which refers to what our values are worth in terms of money, expertise, voice etc.

The skills cycle allows answering questions: where am I now, where do I want to be, and how do I get there? These 3 are essential in many development plans, setting goals and reaching them within the planned time frame. They are a part of the self-assessment. 

My creative type quiz was a fun and interesting element of the workshop, too. 

We reflected on past projects and the way we worked and work. In group projects, what was my input, have people helped, and have I helped others? We also reflected on the extra-curricular impacts on our studies – how do we keep on track with everything? 

I think that my weakest side is that I do not talk to people about my work. I do not actually why this is the case. I do not always present my skills and experience through my work, or even if I do, I do not communicate that well to others. My work is not usually displayed widely, but rather kept hidden. 

I also realise that I do have a lot on my plate right now and very often I wish I did not have to sleep at all so I had enough time and energy for family, partner, studying and work, and for myself. I am motivated and driven by the perspective of having only several weeks left and it will be easier soon. At the same time, I panic that I have so many things to learn and do and so little time. 

During the exercise where we had to quickly draw a character representing us, and how we feel as creatives I sketched myself with extra pairs of hands being busy with tasks related to my personal and professional life. This task was based on the Deck of character cards. 

Next, we briefly talked about the 9 attributes:

1. Making things happen – proactivity, enterprise, agility.
2. Showcasing abilities – communication, connectivity, storytelling).
3. Navigating change – curiosity, self-efficacy, resilience).

They are parts of the Creative Attributes Framework by UAL. CAF is a point of reference for how UAL talks about and develops enterprise and employability. MyCAF tool has 4 steps and upon completion, one can download own MyCAF report and action plan. I am looking forward to using that tool. 

The session with Zoe was packed with useful information and point to reflect on. It was great to have a workshop like that, the only downside I would like to point out was the lack of having similar sessions during our past two years at LCC. It would have been useful to reflect on the skills and ways to improve them at the early stages, not only two months before graduation.