I spent part of one morning this week with 75 area professionals drawn from the fields of accounting and human resources. We discussed the state of ethical decision-making in organizations today, with a focus on what values really mean and how they get applied in day-to-day decision-making.
Near the end of the session, one of the participants asked a question that I hear much more frequently these days: “What if I discover that my own values are not aligned with my organization’s values? What should I do?”
We spent some time talking about options. As I began to describe the process an individual might use to sort through the various loyalties that come into play, I sensed that many in the room had been wrestling with the question of what to do in this very case. It has become clear to me that this is not an uncommon situation for folks in the middle of their careers.
As I responded, I realized that this was exactly the situation I’d faced 16 years ago, at the time that I decided to leave the hospitality industry. Although I enjoyed the company of my colleagues and the friendships I’d built (not to mention the view of the Pacific Ocean I enjoyed every day!), I realized that what was important to those around me was no longer important to me. In short, the driving forces in their lives and their careers were not motivating me.
I don’t mean to suggest that there was anything immoral or unethical about their behavior. Like Etzioni and Keeney, I see values as decision-making criteria, so I only mean to convey that I had begun to operate from a different set of criteria. My value set was not better or worse in an ethical sense, but it had become out of place in that context.
Although I opted to leave, many others do not. In reality, some simply cannot give up a well-paying position without a solid alternative that will provide income. I acknowledged that in my response to the audience a few days ago. In such a case, however, I believe the individual has an obligation to begin constructing alternatives. The first step is to spend considerable time reflecting on one’s own values and to think about how those values map to career options that will provide enduring satisfaction.
In other words, if you come to realize that there is a lack of alignment between your values and your organization’s values, act on that information by thinking about how you and the firm grew apart and then do your best to ensure that you find a better fit next time around. As I said to the participants a couple of days ago, it is unhealthy to remain in an environment in which you constantly struggle to determine what is right.
Career management professionals can provide considerable advice on this topic. For now, I’ll recommend two books: What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles and Value-Focused Thinking by Ralph Keeney.
