Values Based Decision-Making

An individual's personal, organizational, and cultural values are the foundation of their personal and professional decision-making cycle. These values form the core of that individual's moral fabric, and his actions and decisions are predicated on those beliefs. Shalom H. Schwartz defined values as "conceptions of the desirable that guide the way social actors (e.g. organizational leaders, policy-makers, individual persons) select actions, evaluate people and events, and explain their actions and evaluations" (Schwartz, 1999, pp. 24-25). Because values drive the way individuals select actions, this paper will outline how my personal, organizational, and cultural values affect my decision-making.

Personal Values

Personally, I hold numerous values essential, most notably respect, responsibility, and honesty. These values routinely affect my decision-making in my personal life. I believe individuals must live by the golden rule, "treat others as you want them to treat you" (Luke, p. 6:31). I incorporate this simple advice into all decisions I make both personally and professionally. By asking myself such a simple question, I am able to make a better decision because using the golden rule ensures that I show respect for myself and others in my decisions.

The value of responsibility heavily influences my decision-making process as a husband. In addition to being responsible for my actions, I am also responsible for my family. Making an irresponsible decision can damage the trust that is the basis of my marriage. In my job as an Army officer I must make responsible decisions. I have a responsibility to my nation, soldiers, and their families to make good decisions. Flawed, irresponsible decisions in my profession could cause death, harm, or an international incident. Being a responsible leader leads to trust, honor, and loyalty within an organization, values that are consistent with and essential for military service (Fritzsche, 1995).

The value of honesty cannot be overstated in my personal life. I strive to be honest in all personal dealings but will occasionally be less than honest if my honesty would lead to breaking the golden rule. When making decisions about my personal life, it is integral that I am honest to myself and to others. An example of this would be making a decision to take a vacation. While the vacation would be enjoyable, if I did not have the funds to pay for the vacation without using credit cards, I would have to be honest with myself and my family about the monetary situation and decide against the vacation. Professionally, it is critical to be honest because without the credibility of your superiors and subordinates, you are nothing. Any dishonest act, while perhaps having short-term benefits, is likely to reduce your credibility in the eyes of others. Once you have lost this credibility and trust, it is nearly impossible to regain it.

In an insightful article in the Journal of Business Ethics, D. J. Fritzsche tested the hypothesis that certain instrumental personal values such as responsibility, honesty, and broadmindedness are associated with ethical decision-making (Fritzsche, 1995). In his study, Fritzsche surveyed 750 business managers in a series of vignettes. He found that while these core values can be a yardstick for ethical decision-making, not all three values can be used generically (Fritzsche, 1995). Fritzsche concluded that different value sets promoted ethical behavior in different types of ethical dilemmas (Fritzsche, 1995). The only consistent value he found through his survey was that honesty was prevalent in the personal values of all the ethical decision makers (Fritzsche, 1995).

Organizational Values

As an officer in the United States Army, ethics and values are heavily emphasized in the workplace. In the wake of several ethical scandals involving improper senior-subordinate relationships in the late 1990's, the Army developed a campaign promoting the seven Army Values. The Army Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, lists these values as loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage (Army Leadership, 1999). The Army describes its value process in Army Leadership:

Your subordinates enter the Army with their own values, developed in childhood and nurtured through experience...but when they take the oath (of service) they enter an institution guided by Army values. These values tell you what you need to be, every day, in every action you take. (Army Leadership, 1999, p. 2-2)

This is a unique policy where the organization teaches its members values that are conducive to military service and clearly mandates adherence to such values. The Army describes its values as the "fundamental building blocks that enable (soldiers) to discern right from wrong in any situation" (Army Leadership, 1999, p. 2-2).

These Army values had little impact on my decision-making process because they were all encapsulated by my personal values. The Army values are an excellent way of setting a moral standard in the organization ensuring that all members are held to a minimum code of behavior. Most decisions not covered by regulations can be answered using the Army values. In this case, the organization built a tool to ensure that leaders and subordinates make correct decisions when placed in ethical dilemmas.

Cultural Values

My personal values and the organizational values of the Army guide my decision-making process,