Joan asks if the values conflicts I feel are really conflicts in values.
It is an extremely good question. I suspect that for many people, even
managers, being in the position of having to terminate one person for the
good of a larger group of people will feel like a conflict in values to
them. Many people on this list express that virtually everyone is savable
and worth saving. Some people would probably subscribe to the notion that
all or virtually all problems which appear to be individual's problems are
in reality management failure. For them, being in a position to have to
decide between the one individual and the larger group will in fact be a
severe conflict, and it will feel like a failure to them. Many may not be
able to bring themselves to make such a decision. They will, in essence,
choose to do nothing despite the severe negative consequences. Or they
may actually feel that doing nothing presents for them no conflict. The
feelings are all there are. Severe, arduous, difficult feelings.
For me -- and many others, the struggle is equally arduous. Eventually, I
will do something, and then I will wonder and worry if it was right. No
less painful, just a different outcome. For me, the struggle I described
will result in clarity of values around most or all of the points on which
I was conflicted. So I will choose perhaps a different action, a different
outocme, and yet for me as well, I will have achieved clarity around the
points of conflict.
Getting back to Joan's question, for me as an individual, the conflict
gets resolved, but only through a long difficult process. For others who
arrive at the opposite action, the conflict also gets resolved, but only
through a long, difficult process.
In one sense, therefore, you are right that the conflict in the end will
no longer exist. However, the fact that different well-intentioned,
good-hearted, perhaps excellent managers could arrive at opposite
conclusions demonstrates the dillemma. At some other macro level, there
really is a conflict, and that is exactly why we have such a struggle to
reach a conclusion.
I hope this is not too rambling.
--Rol Fessenden LL Bean, Inc. 76234.3636@compuserve.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>