Values are what we find important in our own eyes.
We each have values in some form or fashion and it is likely that some of our
values differ from our friends, family, and colleagues. In a previous blog, I
discussed three of my protected values- equality, accountability, and autonomy.
I am sure we all have values that hold more weight than others. Each of us
possesses values that we will not hesitate to fight for and do not want to give
up. How will these core or protected values affect the decisions we make? Clear
(n.d) argued that core values should be a major factor in the decision-making
process. According to Hoch, Kunreuther, & Gunther (2001), protected values
are important because they guarantee that values will be considered in making
every decision. My protected values are very meaningful to me so I would do
everything I could to support them. These values also have a major influence on
my decision-making process.
Equality has always held a special place in my
heart. When I was a child, one day I was talking to my mom about a lesson I
learned in history class. I think we were discussing the Great Depression. As
the conversation built, I asked her if she believed that she would work in a bank
back then like she did when I was a kid. When she said that she would most
likely not have a job because she was a woman, I remember being very confused.
I thought to myself that she works just like my dad does. She went to school
just like my dad did. She cooks and does other ‘grown up’ activities like my
dad. So, why would she not be allowed to work like a man did at that point in
history? I remember thinking that I would not be like the people back then and
vowed to treat everyone equally. Times have changed and inequality has been
diminished, but not completely erased.
I believe that justice and sympathy are two subsets
of equality, and I have a fire burning inside of me when I witness injustice
taking place. I am a very mild-mannered guy. I do not seek out confrontation or
conflict. I mean I am an accountant for Pete’s sake. But seeing injustice or
inequality take place turns me into a completely different person. Last fall my
girlfriend and I traveled to Miami to see Adelle in concert- who has the best
voice I have ever seen in person, but that is a different blog for a different
day. We were there enjoying the show when I notice some sort of disagreement
occurring at the end of our row. It seems that two gentlemen left their seats
and were standing at the guardrail inadvertently blocking the view of a lady
and her elderly mother. The lady asked them to return to their seat which
happened to be directly behind them. They returned to their seats and it seemed
like the ordeal was over. But, a couple of minutes later I notice one of the gentlemen
taking ice from his cup and throwing it at the older lady. She would look confused
for a moment, try to determine the culprit, and turn back around and attempt to
enjoy the concert.
After about the fourth time this occurred, the anger
grew inside of me and I knew I had to say something. The injustice and
inequality were just too much to bear. Why was he picking on this older lady? I
did not want to confront him but the protection I have over people being
mistreated due to inequality eventually won over my fear of confrontation. I
told him that he must stop or I would go get an usher to have him kicked out of
the show. In this situation, my protection over equality had a major part in my
decision making. There is a chance that if he was throwing the ice at me I
would have remained silent, but I could not let him mistreat an older lady.
From a leadership perspective, I would hope to make
decisions that would follow my protected values of inequality. I would never
make the decision to hire one person over the other based on anything other
than experience. I also hope that I would offer equal pay to all employees.
As with inequality, accountability has also always
been important to me. I believe that people should be accountable for their
actions in all circumstances. From a leadership perspective, accountability is
important in building trust. How can followers trust their leaders if they do
not feel that they are accountable for their actions? Accountability can also
have a huge effect on our decision-making process. How can good decisions be
made if the individual is not held accountable for the resulting outcome of
their decision? I believe that accountability is crucial not only in the
decisions we make but also the reasoning behind the decisions we make. As
decision makers, we must remain accountable for the outcomes of our decisions.
I mentioned I have always been a proponent of
accountability, but a fairly recent event cranked that passion up to the next
level. In April of 2015, my girlfriend and I were returning home from an
afternoon of running errands. We were maybe a mile from the house when all of a
sudden she turned the wheel to the left toward the median. As I looked up to
ask her what she was doing, I saw a car crashing into my passenger door. After
the initial shock wore off, I opened the door to check on the other car and to
see what happened. There was one problem with this line of thinking- the other
car was nowhere to be found. It is a surreal feeling to know you just were
involved in an accident and see no car and it took me a moment to realize we
were involved in a hit and run.
The guy who hit us was finally caught about 6 miles
from the scene of the accident after a short police chase. He blew approximately
two and a half times the legal limit and was arrested for DUI, evading, and
leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, which were luckily only minor.
I share with you this story to let you know how it ends. The gentleman never
asked about us and never took accountability for the accident. When the state
attorney asked us if we wanted to press charges we told him that if the
individual would write us a letter of apology then no additional charges would
be pressed. He came back later and let us know that the gentleman did not feel
that an apology was necessary. He hired the best attorney in town and got off
with no punishment whatsoever.
In most cases, I would not have made the decision to
pursue punishment for this man. If it were an accident and he wouldn’t have
driven off and would have apologized then I would have gotten my car fixed and
chalked it up as a learning experience for the other driver. But this was
different. According to Tanner (2016), “Without accountability, execution
suffers” (para. 5). This is exactly the case in this example! This man made the
decision to drive drunk and run from the scene of an accident and felt no
remorse or accountability for his actions. My decision was altered by his
decision to not feel accountable for a negative outcome his actions created.
Autonomy is also a value that I feel very protective
over. I am not currently a leader on a professional level, but I feel autonomy
and empowerment are great in creating a productive worker. Not long after I
graduated college I began working at a law firm and was placed in charge of the
runners for a period of time. I watched the previous supervisor micro-manage
the runners and label step by step how each process should be handled. I
decided that I would not like to be treated that way so why would they? I guess
the golden rule played a part in my decision to manage them differently. They
were all high school and college age, so they could not be completely set free,
but the freedom and autonomy they received were appreciated as trust and
respect were reciprocated.
I also
believe that autonomy also holds importance in decision making. I would be
reluctant to make a decision that takes away anyone’s autonomy. There is
usually more than one right way to complete an activity. I have had supervisors
tell me that a certain way to do a task is the ‘right way’ and I would think to
myself it may be your ‘right way’ but it is definitely not the only ‘right way’.
“Empowered people have a sense that when they act, they can produce a result”
(Whetten and Cameron, 2016, 370). This statement is important in
decision-making as well. Stifling an individual’s way of thinking could alter
their decision for the worse.
In his 2005 Ted Talk, Dan Gilbert discussed our
inability to make good decisions in today’s world.
We are the only species
on this planet that has ever held its own fate in its hands. We have no
significant predators, we're the masters of our physical environment; the
things that normally cause species to become extinct are no longer any threat
to us. The only thing -- the only thing -- that can destroy us and doom us are
our own decisions. (Gilbert, 2005, 23:00.).
I would like to believe that my protected values of
equality, accountability, and autonomy help to preserve our world with the
decisions we make. We are all human and are made exactly the same so equality
would help to create a better society and world. Accountability and autonomy
are also important in building trust and respect which help to create a more
meaningful world.
Hoch, Kunruether, & Gunther (2001) argued that
protected values may have to be traded off when they are pitted up against
other highly regarded values. I want to believe that if my values are traded
off that it is for something meaningful that will enhance and not hurt the
decision-making process. As I previously stated, I do not want to be the threat
Gilbert (2005) discussed that could doom our world.
References
Clear, J. (2017). Importance of values: Let your values drive your choices.
Retrieved from http://jamesclear.com/values-choices
Gilbert, D. (2005). Dan Gilbert: Why we make bad decisions [video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness
Hoch, S., Kunreuther, H., & Gunther, R. (2001). Wharton on making decisions. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
Tanner, W. (2016). How to create a culture of accountability in the workplace.
Retrieved from https://soapboxhq.com/create-culture-accountability-workplace/
Whetten, D. & Cameron, K. (2016). Developing management skills (9th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson
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