Different Values

Last week I was interviewed on a very lively nighttime talk show in a major city. I’ve been asked often lately to comment on the “Occupy” movements in different cities, and I thought that would be the direction of our conversation. Instead, the host had a number of insights and ideas he wanted to share with his listeners, and he was talking about many difficulties that the unemployed and lower-level employed are facing. Next, he took a call from a listener who vehemently disagreed with his line of thinking and his insights.

The other day I was driving with a colleague of mine to a meeting, and we came to a four-way STOP intersection. Where I live these are everywhere, and the “courtesy” is that you have to wait your turn. Each car at each of the four stops gets a chance to go in order, and then the next one, and the next one. For the most part, the system works pretty well. On this particular day, we were sitting waiting for our turn and when it came, and we started to go left, the car across from us (turning right to go on the same street) went out of turn and went in front of us.

Last week I was working with a corporate client on transition issues within their firm. The company president, “Ted,” was lamenting to me that his staff was far too lax on quality control. They had prepared material both for internal review and for external distribution that was not correct and had errors. Ted was expressing his concern that each individual in his firm didn’t have a sense of pride for what they do, but rather seemed to do the minimum to get by. He felt their behavior reflected badly on his firm.

It’s a reality for most of us in life: we desire harmonious relationships but we don’t have them. In fact, if all of the people around us would just be like us, do what we want them to do and act in ways that allow us to stay within our comfort zone – all would be well! Why don’t people just understand they need to accommodate our desires and make life easier all around?

I have a new client that recently acquired another company. They are trying to integrate practices, ideas and ways to work together by bringing two separate units together into one. As I work with the management of this newly combined company, I am reminded again how critical knowing another person’s values and trying to refrain from making a “values” argument really is.

I had the pleasure of being interviewed on the radio show The Gary Baumgarten Report this week. We talked about many things related to political discourse, and the general lack of civility in some discussions in the public arena. There were callers from all over the world posing questions and viewpoints. I enjoyed the dialogue immensely.