How To Create Good Value?

What does the phrase ‘create good value’ mean to you? Is it good value when a server treats you well in a restaurant? Or is it good value when a doctor diagnoses your illness swiftly and handles it efficiently? Is it the impeccably designed car you drive or the exquisite coffee that you drank this morning?

As you might be guessing, the meaning of ‘good value’ can vary depending upon the context. What’s more, it varies from person to person. So, it is safe to say that ‘good value’ is subjective. Yet, I am here to argue that good value is one of the strongest bonds that we as humans share.

This is because, when someone creates something, more than one person needs to recognize it as ‘good value’ for it to become true. It is defined based on the perception or experience of the person at the receiving end of the creation. ‘Good value’ is essentially a consensus.

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Last I checked, I did not make my clothes on my own clothes or build my own electronics. We are in this together. In a world where we serve others, and others serve us, understanding good value creation becomes crucial. The reasons are altruistic; everybody involved ends up being a winner.

With this thought in mind, I set it upon myself to investigate how one can create good value regardless of their background (employer, employee, parent, child, teacher, writer, etc.). I am no exception to my own writing. So, this is my attempt at creating good value for you as the reader.

The Art of Giving and Receiving

To be able to create good value, one has to be able to receive good value. If that sounds to you like stating the obvious, let me explain a few scenarios where it is anything but obvious.

In the past, I used to be a writer who enjoyed writing but hated reading. I was in fact mildly proud of this trait of mine. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that in order to speak to my people, I had to listen to them first. This was not obvious to me! My writing started improving tremendously as soon as I started engaging more with my fellow people on an eye-to-eye basis. When you are willing to listen, people are glad to talk to you! That was such an eye-opening realization for me.

Consider parents who assume that they are doing their best in raising their teenage child, but do not spend time to understand their child’s fashion interests or music interests. Consider a manager who wants his employees to ‘obey’ him, but does not ask them about how they feel, or does not listen to them when they do indeed express themselves. Consider a sports star who is exceptionally talented, but does not pass the ball to her teammates.

In each of the aforementioned scenarios, it is not so obvious for the person involved, but it is obvious to any outsider. You and I are no different. When we are in a similar scenario, the obvious is not so obvious. Therefore, whenever you are facing challenges, or are feeling not valued, ask yourself if you are not receiving enough. That could be a good start.

Avoid Hoarding

Whenever we have something valuable in our possession, we tend to be protective of the item. Knowledge or skill is no different. We fear that if we share our most valued skill or knowledge, others might just exploit us, and it would hurt us in the long run.

Contrary to human intuition, it is often the case that one learns by teaching, and expertise or mastery is not so easily replicable. During the act of teaching, one learns nuances and is presented with new challenges that the learners come up with; study groups are an excellent example of this phenomenon. So, it turns into a win-win situation. Even when people have access to expert knowledge about a process, it often takes practice to produce the same results as a master would.

As a result, more often than not, hoarding leads to stunted growth and reduced value creation for everyone involved. Any ‘good value’ creator teaches his or her best knowledge to everyone who is interested and learns from everyone along the journey.

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It’s Not Just About the End-Product

In olden times, when the internet was not yet a thing, people who saw professionals in action usually did so when the product was fully finished (like a theatre play, for instance). As a result, there was this notion that the creator created the product out of sheer genius and elegance. No one really got to see the ‘messy’ nature of creating something.

In the age of global connectivity via the internet, people are not only interested in the end product, but also the journey of professionals and artists. People understand that value creators are people also, and want to experience the ‘messy’ journey together. It is the most human thing to do if you think about it.

Whenever I hear an artist saying something like:

“I am secretly working on my master creation. I will come out of my closet and show myself to the outside world only when I am sure that my creation is a success!”,

I pity them. This not only deprives fellow human beings of two-way open communication but the artist’s learning process is slowed down as well. This is because the artist is not open to receiving feedback along the journey.

He or she is likely to learn how people perceive his or her artwork only at the end of the whole process. So, it makes for a much longer and convoluted learning process. It is far more beneficial for everyone if one shares their journey with fellow human beings.

Create Good Value – The Buck Stops with the Consumer

When anyone has invested a lot of time and energy into developing a product or technology or artwork, it is understandable that they have a bias towards their ‘baby’. However, the consumer of that product or artwork is the deciding authority when it comes to value. If the target audience or consumer base doesn’t like the product, the creator has to accept it, and be open to learning what went wrong.

Again, this sounds like stating the obvious, but when one is in the situation, it is anything but obvious. Therefore, all of us need to remind ourselves that if our creation is not creating value for the intended consumer, it is time to drop the ego, learn, and improve. Every time I go through this experience, it hurts. I feel devastated! But I do not know of any better way to grow.

Let’s Create Good Value Together!

In my observation and experience, creating good value comes down to one point: To be a good human being. When we focus on that one north star, we are far more likely to create good value, and be useful to other human beings in the process.

If you made it this far, I humbly thank you for your interest. If you are even able to take one beneficial point with you from this article, I am the happiest value creator there is!

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Credit: My writing in this article has been influenced by the work done by Austin Kleon.

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Further reading that might interest you: How to Learn Faster And More Efficiently? and How to Be More Mindful And Not Get Lost In Thought?