Why do people do what they do? What do people look for in their work? What tells us that we’re doing something that matters?
Based on the research of renowned psychologist David C. McClelland, the Personal Values Questionnaire (PVQ) measures the importance you attach to the three social motives Achievement, Affiliation and Power — and what this can mean for you in the workplace.
Understanding what you — or others — value is useful because:
- It helps in anticipating how people will choose to invest their energies. One person may be interested in getting things done efficiently. Another finds it important to maintain friendly relations with co-workers. Differences like these matter.
- It can highlight a mismatch between a person’s values and the requirements of their job. A mismatch can be acted upon before it results in tension for an individual, or productivity or turnover issues for an organization.
