Assignment 1: Personal Values & Behaviors

Knowing Your Values

The importance of a value system is that once internalized it becomes, consciously or

subconsciously, a standard or criterion for guiding one’s action. From the concept and
development of organization strategies, structures and processes, to the use of particular
leadership styles and the evaluation of subordinate performance, value systems will be
persuasive.

Personal Statistics:

VALUES POLITICAL AESTHETIC SOCIAL THEORETICAL ECONOMIC

TOTAL 27 23 19 26 26
RANK 5 3 2 4 4

Above table depicts that I value more political, economic, and theoretical than aesthetic
and social. Also there is a tie in economic and theoretical ranking. A tie basically
indicates equal intensity resulting in the combined effect of the values involved
(Theoretical and Economic). It also indicates competing not necessarily any conflict.

Political:
 • The political man is oriented toward power, not necessarily in politics, but in
whatever area he works. Most leaders have a high power orientation. Competition
plays a large role during all his life. For some men, this value is uppermost,
driving them to seek personal power, influence, and recognition in a continuous
basis.
• Observation:
(1) The highest rank in values for me is for Political. Not surprised since working
as project manager on erp implementation projects in an IT consultancy, I
have to do rapid decision-making and build and retain relationships with the
customers and sales representatives. This is possible if at least I had a high
rank (not necessary highest) in political value orientation.
(2) Although I don’t believe in personal power but recognition in work area on a
continuous basis comes from the outcomes of the projects that I handle. This
recognition could be positive (if projects meet the goals) or negative (if
outcome is a failure).
(3) As a future plan, in my job, I believe that I need to build closer relationships
with the seniors and stay connected with the sales representatives who are the
key influencers for new project contracts.

Economic:

• The economic man is primarily oriented toward what is useful. He is interested in

the practical aspects of the business world, in the manufacture, marketing,
distribution and consumption of goods, in the use of economic resources and in
the accumulation of tangible wealth (protestant ethics). He is thoroughly
“practical” and fits well the stereotype of the businessman.
• Observation:
(1) With a score of 26, for me this tied with theoretical type of value orientation.
(2) As I move up in the ladder and have a family dependent on me, I have off late
started realizing the benefits of economic aspect.
(3) Concerns: In job, I need to be more practical, less stereotype and be more
ready to take variety of challenging projects.
(4) The plan: The more I prove to be a ‘pathfinder’ in my organization, the more I
would be recognized and also a bit would get translated into economic reward.

Theoretical:

• The theoretical man is primarily interested in the discovery of truth, in the

systematic ordering of his knowledge. In pursuing this goal he typically takes a

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 “cognitive” approach, looking for identities and differences, with relative
disregard for the beauty or utility of objects, seeking only to observe and to
reason. His interests are empirical, critical, and rational.
• Observation:
(1) A score of 26, this tied with economic values.
(2) In my area of work, knowledge is key for success and power. I essence is to
maintain the theoretical aspect of my character.
(3) Concerns: Instead of staying aloof, I need to work more as a team. The
obstacle I see is the mass not agreeing at first go, but with more sensitivity and
compassion, I should try to win the mass and lead the team effectively.
(4) Another constraint I see is less of expressing of thoughts. I need to make a
plan to explain the benefits of new finding to the team during weekly calls and
via web presentations and online publications.

Aesthetic:

• The aesthetic man finds his main interest in the artistic aspects of life, although
he need not be a creative artist. He values form and harmony. He views
experience in terms of grace, symmetry, or harmony. Lives the here and now with
enthusiasm.
• Observation:
(1) The rank for aesthetic aspect is low in my case.
(2) In my nature of work of IT consultancy in area of erp implementation,
creativity is important but slow decision making (a trait of aesthetic) could be
killing.
(3) I think if I am able to publish my theoretical work more regularly to the group
and take the group into confidence then my creativity would automatically
come to light. Since one can increase one value only at the expense of other, I
would not like to disturb the rank of aesthetic value.

Social:

• The social man is primarily oriented toward the well being of the people. His
essential value is love of people – the altruistic or philanthropic aspect of love.

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 The social man values people as ends, and tends to be kind, sympathetic, and
unselfish.
• Observation:
(1) Concern: This is one aspect which got lowest rank and definitely needs an
improvement
(2) Plan to enhance the value: Since for every project, I need to lead a team of
consultants, in true sense I need to be more helpful and accessible to people
(3) To increase this aspect by few points I would not mind loosing the political
aspect by few points.
(4) I need to listen more to my team members and my peers and try to understand
their viewpoints. In true sense, I need to show more compassion to my team
members and try to help them more in their career growth plans. While doing
this I might sometimes face obstacles from seniors or some old policy might
come in way but going by ‘where there’s a will there’s a way, I could use
some alternative and still be able to help my peers.
(5) The enhancement of social aspect is also going to help me in leadership role.

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Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B®)

The Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior instrument is a self-report

assessment used to measure behaviors associated with interpersonal needs. Developed by
Schutz (1958), the FIRO-B instrument provides a measure of the degree to which each of
the three interpersonal needs (inclusion, control, affection) are expressed or wanted.

Personal Statistics:

INTERPERSONAL INCLUSION CONTROL AFFECTION TOTAL

DIMENSION
EXPRESSED 5 7 5 17
WANTED 3 2 3 8
TOTAL 8 9 8 25

Expressed – Inclusion:

• Expressed inclusion would positively be related to leading employees,

participative management, building and mending relationships, compassion and
sensitivity, putting people at ease, and differences matter, while negatively related
to problems with interpersonal relationships and difficulty building and leading a
team.
• Observation:
1. In the current job as a manager in IT consultancy where nature of work
involves managing team, understanding customer needs, building
relationships with client and market and selling the firm, the personal
score of 5 looks little less and their exists a scope for improvement.
2. The main obstacle I see is leading a team of people with diverged cultural
background and each having different mindset.
3. Since team work is critical for success in my area of work, some of the
steps which I think which could enhance this quality are as follows:
(a) Listen: Since consultants in team have a diversified background,
learn to listen more to each one of them with more compassion,
and understand the differences matters.
(b) Try to change the mindset of people without people thinking they
are being forced to change. Influence them with the common
mission and goals of the project. Take out team for outings to ease
their stress level, try to build relationship with peers and seniors
and lead the team in positive direction.

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Wanted – Inclusion:

• Wanted Inclusion will be positively related to doing whatever it takes, building

and mending relationships, compassion and sensitivity, and putting people at ease
while negatively related to problems with interpersonal relationships.
• Observation:
1. A score of 3 looks low to me in my current job. I would prefer to move
this to a medium wanted inclusion rage (4-6)
2. Plan: Instead of being very selective about people to be associated with, I
would like to move to be ‘some what’ selective about people to be
associated with.

Control – Expressed:

• Expressed control will be positively related to doing whatever it takes,

decisiveness, leading employees, and confronting problem employees while
negatively related to difficulty building and leading a team.
• Observation:
1. A score of 7 seems like an autocrat to me. However since this being a key
trait in my nature of work, I would prefer to stay at current level or little
bit move down.
2. One obstacle here is that if the leader becomes too lenient (democrat) then
the direction of the ship could change and sometimes leads to disaster.
3. Some of the steps which could help me perform the control-expressed part
of interpersonal need in a better way are as follows:
(a) Listen to people more often to understand their views before taking
decisions. At the same time urge a subordinate to listen to his or
her emotional rival with more understanding if they in fact did that
themselves.
(b) Give ownership to team members, ask them to take initiatives in
niche areas and share some of the responsibilities with them
(c) It would be important for me to “set an example” when it comes to
reacting to personality clashes.

Control – Wanted:

• Wanted control will be positively related to difficulty building and leading a team,
while negatively related to decisiveness and confronting problem employees.
• Observation:
1. A personal low score of 2 means it resents others from controlling or
making decisions for myself. In other words, I am more confident in
taking control and responsibility.
2. In a work environment which is more team based, I would have preferred
this to be around 4. Although in role of leading a project, I cannot give
control to peers, as it could lead to disaster.

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 3. One more observation here is that the difference of expressed and wanted
are more than 3, which might lead to conflict and frustration.

Affection – Expressed:
• Expressed affection will be positively related to building and mending
relationships, compassion and sensitivity, and putting people at ease, while
negatively related to problems with interpersonal relationships.
• Observation:
1. In my nature of work, a score of 5 seems ok to me. It means that I am
interested in friendship and personal intimacy. In the nature of work of
consultancy, this is a very important factor.
2. I should show more compassion and sensitivity to my peers and team
members.
3. I should also analyze the negative aspects of interpersonal relationships (if
it exists in particular case) and work towards reducing the negative
aspects.
4. This would help me to build and sustain relationships with and among the
co-workers.
5. I need to have better 'soft' people skills to 'tune in' to clients' emotional
needs, forge long-term relationships with them, and to coach and lead the
team. Probably an advanced training on soft skills should help me to some
extent.

Affection – Wanted:
• Wanted affection will be positively related to participative management and
compassion and sensitivity, while negatively related to confronting problem
employees.
• Observation:
1. A personal score of 3 is less and indicates that I might be distrustful of
others.
2. This could also lead to confrontation with the team members and peers.
3. Some of the measures that I could think are as follows:
(a) I should involve the team members more in participative
discussions.
(b) I should show more compassion and sensitivity to the team.
(c) I should develop authentic relationships that are close, open and
warm with the team and peers.
(d) I should also work towards nurturing and career growth of team
members.

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