Values compass

Step-by-step plan

Step 1: Introduction

Explain to students that everyone is guided by personal values, often unconsciously, and that becoming aware of these values helps them make authentic choices in their studies and future profession. Emphasize that authenticity means acting in alignment with your values and identity, even when this feels challenging. In this activity students explore their personal values and reflect on what it means to act upon them.

Step 2: Identifying your core values

Provide students with a printed or digital list of 30–50 values (for example honesty, curiosity, independence or responsibility). Ask students to individually select five values that feel most important to them right now. After the individual reflection, ask students to form pairs and share their selected values. Invite them to explain why these values matter to them. You can support the dialogue with questions such as:

• What made these values important to you?
• Where do we see similarities or difference in our values?
• Which value do you think most strongly guides your behaviour?

Step 3: Reflecting on and strengthening the ritual design

Explain to students that values become especially visible in situations where something feels difficult, uncomfortable, or challenging. Tell students they will now reflect on what is means to stay true to themselves in situations where their values are tested.

First let students discuss situations in their studies where they experienced tension, for example:

• A moment where they had to choose between fitting in and speaking up.
• A situation involving group work, integrity, inclusion, or responsibility.
• A moment where they were unsure what the right thing to do was.

Provide the following reflection questions and let students discuss their reflection in pairs:

• What made this situation challenging for you?
• Which of your core values was relevant here?
• Did you act in line with your values? Why or why not?
• What did this situation teach you about yourself?

Step 4: Dilemma reflection

Now that students have reflected on their own experiences, provide a short open-ended professional dilemma relevant to your discipline. It can be nice to choose a dilemma they might face in their future professional practice. Emphasize that the goal is not to find the correct answer, but to understand how values influence different decisions. 

For example:

• Psychology / social sciences: You are assisting in a research project and notice that a participant seems uncomfortable during a study, but they have not formally withdrawn. Stopping the session could affect the research data, but continuing may put pressure on the participant.
• Business / economics: You are working in a company where a product is being promoted very positively. You know that some limitations of the product are not clearly communicated to clients. Your manager emphasizes that highlighting these limitations may reduce sales.

Let students first reflect individually on how they would navigate the dilemma:

• What would I do in this situation?
• Which of my core values influence my thinking?
• What would acting authentically mean for me in this situation?

Next, ask students to discuss their reflections in pairs or in small groups (3-4 students). Invite them to compare how different values can lead to different but equally understandable choices. The following questions can guide their discussion:

• How did different values lead to different approaches?
• Did someone’s perspective help you see the dilemma differently?
• How can awareness of your values help you make professional decisions?
• How can you stay true to your values while working with people who may have different priorities?

To wrap up the activity, you can:

• Ask students to share one key insight from each column with their partner. 
• Facilitate a short plenary discussion or small-group sharing.