In conversation with Steffen Sommerlad

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Steffen Sommerlad studied design. Today, he moderates co-creative workshops, helps teams work better together and coaches creative people with professional orientation and the path to self-employment.

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How important do you think it is as a designer to have clear values?

I notice that many designers and creative people have an increasing need for clarity about their own values. Many feel dissatisfied with their own work situation. The reasons for this are manifold: low appreciation, lack of feedback culture, high workload, low sustainability or sense of purpose. In order to consciously understand where things do not currently fit and where there is potential for improvement, it is fundamental to become aware of and understand your own values. And then to check the work culture, behaviours and projects in terms of the defined values. Clarity about one's own values is the basis for being able to talk to employers and colleagues in a convincing and solution-oriented way in the next step. Ideas for improvement can only arise when it is clear what does not fit.

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How can designers gain clarity about their own values?

Your own values are reflected in your entire life. It is therefore worth taking a look at the past, at everyday life, leisure, relationships, friendships, family and the topics and activities that inspire and interest me. What do I like to do? What gives me energy? What do I like to do the most? How and where do I get involved socially? What is important to me when interacting with people? Answers to these questions provide clues to one's own values. I recommend reflecting 10 to 20 minutes a day for a week in order to note down special situations from your own life and to record the associated values. This quickly creates clarity about what is important for a fulfilling life. My values include creativity, freedom and inspiration. Since 2018 I have been self-employed, coaching, moderating and advising. The independence and the associated diversity of my activities fits in wonderfully with my values.

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What happens next when personal values have been defined?

The values are the start. This often results in the need to define one's own purpose, i.e. the individual contribution to the many current challenges. Young people in particular are asking themselves: What can I do to make this world a better place? Purpose is about one's own social, social or ecological contribution. But back to the values. After the definition comes the check: Do my behaviours match my values? Am I making decisions that match my values? For a better understanding, each value is concretized through exemplary situations and behaviours. This is an important basis for ensuring that values do not remain empty words, but become active guiding principles for one's own actions.