The Why of Work by David Ulrich & Wendy Ulrich

Author:David Ulrich & Wendy Ulrich
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
Published: 2010-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Clearly, the best outcome for both parties is obtained if both remain silent. Each will serve six months but no more. But if one prisoner takes a chance on this option and the other does not, that individual will pay for his choice with 10 years of his life while his squeaky accomplice goes free. Acting selflessly is the best policy if everyone plays by this rule, but it is risky. If we don’t trust others to act selflessly as well, we all pay a higher price. This is especially true if we play the game over and over, as companies do in real life. In that scenario people quickly learn whether trust and selflessness pay off or self-interest is the rule of the day.

We play many versions of the prisoner’s dilemma in life . . . in divorce courts, political parties, neighborhood squabbles, and corporate mergers. Work-related examples of the prisoner’s dilemma:

In compensation decisions about a fixed bonus pool, do leaders take a larger portion of the bonus or distribute it more widely?

In decision making, do leaders call the shots or include others in the process?

In allocating perks (parking space, travel funds, office space), do leaders send a message of self-interest or selflessness?

In assigning credit for successful projects, do leaders take or share credit?

When leaders consistently act out of self-interest, employees do the same. Over time, such leaders contribute to negative work environments for everyone. In contrast, leaders who emphasize other-service more than self-interest demonstrate a real commitment to treat people with fairness and respect. They help create work environments where people look out for and serve each other because people trust that the small sacrifices they make for the public good will be reciprocated, not taken advantage of. There is goodwill to spare.

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