Giving Voice to Values by Mary C. Gentile

Author:Mary C. Gentile [Gentile, Mary C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-300-16132-8
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2010-06-26T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Finding My Voice

VOICE: Voice is developed over time and with practice. Practice voicing your values using the style of expression with which you are most skillful and which is most appropriate to the situation. You are most likely to say those words that you have pre-scripted and already heard yourself express, at earlier times in your career or in practice sessions.

In the Introduction to this book, we talked about a series of essays written by MBA students about a time when their personal values conflicted with what they were explicitly asked—or implicitly expected—to do in the work-place. We noted that even though many of the situations appeared to be quite similar, some students had found ways to voice and act on their values within the organization while others did not. The repertoire of strategies adopted by those who chose to act inside the organization (as opposed to acting outside the organization, by external whistle-blowing or by leaving) fell into some recognizable categories: looking for a win-win solution; changing the boss’s mind through persuasion and logic; going over the boss’s head within the organization; building coalitions of like-minded employees; and so on. But the pivotal moment was deciding to speak.

We also noted that there are many different ways to speak, and that one of the most valuable approaches to voicing our values lies in recognizing that fact. When we confront an ethical conflict, we often tend to think that our choices are restricted: we can either stand up and declare our opposition to the offending action, or we can remain mute. In fact, however, it is this stark framing of the options that can result in both greater silence and a less effective voice.

Therefore it becomes critically important to understand a few basic points:

There are many different ways to express our values, and some may work better in certain circumstances with particular audiences than others do.

We ourselves may be more skillful at, or simply more comfortable with and therefore more likely to use, one approach over another. Thus our ability to frame our challenge in a way that allows us to use that particular preferred approach may be the most important factor determining whether or not we speak.

Some organizational contexts or conditions (and some types of leaders) will have a strong impact on our own and others’ likelihood of expressing values.

There are things we can do to make it more likely that we will voice our values and that we will do so effectively: namely, practice and coaching.

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