Values - A Commodity That Makes the World Work
Values make the world work! And not only that - they're a key to our survival; our survival relies on values. What are the values we all need to survive? Many people, leaders, groups, teams, executives, and organisations have sought an answer to this question. Another question: do our basic human values ever change, like from generation to generation?
An answer...
"Despite views about changing values, there is a common set of basic values which all human beings share and which is the foundation of social cohesion."
This quotation indicates that we (our basic values) never really change, and that the same innate values are as relevant today as they always were. It means we should still be a pretty predictable lot (we homo sapiens) in the next millennium.
The basic set of values is considered to be:
TRUST-FAIRNESS-COURAGE-HONESTY-LOVE-DIGNITY
"For groups or societies to exist over time, members must be seen to be trustworthy, fair, courageous, honest, and treat people with care (love) and dignity. It is hard to see a group continue if one or more of these values is absent."
Conflicting (secondary and tertiary) values are the root of all problems of social cohesion from the lack of communication at a personal relational level to the most massive Global and cultural issues. Wars are fought over values; conflict creates wars but it also creates growth; it depends on whether one is looking negatively or positively. Conflict is not bad; the lack of understanding and alignment with common (secondary and tertiary) values is bad.
"The values which are fundamental to the existence of human social groups are essential to human survival."
These values are more important than we think. We don't give values credence but they're our principles and rules of engagement, yet we don't seek to align our conscious awareness to these basic (virtuous) values anywhere near enough. If we can't do it on a personal and interpersonal level, what chance have we in more complex situations. It bears thinking about: values alignment in communication and relationships.
J.T. Ralph (CRA Organisation, 1993) said, "Achieving continuous improvement starts, essentially, with a state of mind that accepts that there are always better ways of doing things and that there is always room to improve everything we do. It means avoiding complacency and positively going about searching for and implementing better ways of doing things and eliminating waste and improving quality."
The basis of continuous improvement, growth, indeed survival, is the basic values.
Copyright 2008, Steven John Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Inspiration and quotations (apart from J.T. Ralph's) for this article are from "Leadership: A New Direction": British Army Review, December 1989, by I. Macdonald, R. Macdonald, K.W. Stewart.