Saturday 3 January 2015



Foundational values - Strength or Weakness?

Foundational values are the core of human behavior. These values are traditionally called Dharma. These values are set at the very childhood, through several influencing factors, few of them are:

1. Parental influence
2. Societal Influence
3. Educational influence

Out of these, first one is of paramount importance, because it builds the basis frame work of person's behavior. Which are then strengthened by balance two. 

Having keenly observed behaviors of many personnel, across generations, I have come to conclusion that these behaviors generally remain constant over the period. Having said that, I hasten to add that changes happen, but are triggered by some event.

Problem with foundational values is that you struggle with realities of life. My personnel struggle has been in leadership domain. 

Having come from a traditional middle class family, my value system places a very high priority on respect to elders, sometimes even above excellence.

However, leadership roles force responsibility of managing direct reports who are older to me. Lot of struggle goes inside while questioning these personnel for non performance. In the past, respect always won over performance. I realized it very late but by then lot of damage was already done.

 Fortunately for me, lately, the better sense has been prevailing over me. However, I need to change even more. Some youngsters, have been helping me in this transformation by their impatient questions over the non performance.

Summarizing, foundational values are strengths only if you put right priorities them. Else, they become weakness resulting in sub par performance from individuals.

Adieu for next seven days....

1 comment:

  1. Foundational Values are definitely strength unless it conflicts with the evolution cycle. These values are imbibed or existed for that matter because it needed to survive be it killing animals, slavery, capitalism in pre historic times when resources were limited or changed over a period of time with evolution cycle to now people are against these things.

    It becomes weakness if one sticks to them generation after generation. Because, the traits that drive competency which are equally important as Values are Ability and Talent. All three of them resides at the deepest level of the Iceberg. And that is the reason why we have segregated generations to Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and now Gen Millennial.

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