Value and Values

Value is one of those terms that we slip so routinely into our narratives that it's easy for it to become invisible. And yet, it's fundamental in every aspect of our lives. What we value goes a long way to determining who we are.

Before the current global difficulty, notions of value had been taken over largely by business. Shareholder value. Added Value. Retained value. Hard measures of extrinsic worth. Financial wealth.

Now, the real, deeper meaning of value is rising to the surface, buoyed up by what feels like an existential issue. Who we value more than what we value.

The notion of "key worker" is giving a refreshing perspective on value. Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, Bin Collectors, Shop Assistants. Not much sign of hedge fund managers, HR managers, Advertising Managers.

Whilst every single one of us is uniquely valuable, at times like this it is the ones who put themselves out, and at risk, to look after others that stand out.

It's also true I suspect that if we look at how we reward k…