The Value Proposition
Does My Decision Improve The Outcome?
In previous editions, we have looked at what carries us through tough decisions, how to distinguish resistance from intuition, and why goals really matter.
Today, I’d like to explore a question a fellow consultant asked me just yesterday – a question I now believe is absolutely essential:
What is the value proposition behind this development? Or, maybe more simply … what do I actually gain if we go down this path?
It’s a simple and powerful question and one that forces us to define what better really means: What exactly should change? For whom? And why is that desirable?
In the rush of daily decisions, we often fall into the reactive mode of:
“What do I need to do right now?”
And in that rush, we sometimes lose sight of the direction altogether – acting as if:
“I may not know where I’m going, but at least I’ll get there faster.”
But if I don’t know what better looks like, I can go in any direction - and still end up nowhere.
The value proposition clarifies:
What is meant to change
For whom things are meant to improve
And why the effort is worthwhile
The moment I connect with this question, a sense of purpose arises.
I begin to feel what’s truly worth investing my energy in.
And often, the path becomes clearer once the goal makes inner sense.
Existential Perspective
In existential analysis according to Alfried Laengle, this question belongs to the fourth fundamental motivation:
What do I want to be effective for?
The value proposition is not just a marketing phrase – it’s an expression of meaning.
It allows me to say:
Yes, this is what I want to work for.
Three questions for this week
Think of a current decision you’re facing and ask yourself:
What does ‘better’ mean in this context?Reflect on:
Who benefits from this? Me? Others? Something greater?And finally:
How would I recognise that things have actually improved?
Strategic thinking means …
Not just looking for solutions – but recognising the value they create.
My thanks to Martin Haussmann, who inspired me with this question.
His book #UZMO2 - ‘Visual Thinking with the Pen’ is an invitation to make complex thoughts visible - and to clarify values before we decide. It shows that visualisation is not just decoration but a way to connect thinking with meaning.
