Page 124 - leadership-experience-2008

CikguOnline
CikguOnline
CHAPTER 4: THE LEADER AS AN INDIVIDUAL 105
individual differences helped him recognize that two members of the team had
a severe personality clash and could not see eye-to-eye on any issue. Although
Breland tried to work things out within the team, after several months he simply
dissolved the group and reassigned members to other areas. The team members

all did fine in other assignments; the personality confl ict between the two mem-
bers was just too strong to overcome and it affected the team’s productivity and
effectiveness. 15

Values and Attitudes
In addition to personality differences, people differ in the values and attitudes
they hold. These differences affect the behavior of leaders and followers.

Instrumental and End Values
Values are fundamental beliefs that an individual considers to be important, V alues
Values
fundamental beliefs that an
that are relatively stable over time, and that have an impact on attitudes, fundamental beliefs that an
individual considers to be
16
perception, and behavior. Values are what cause a person to prefer that individual considers to be
important, that are relatively
important, that are relatively
things be done one way rather than another way. Whether we recognize it or stable over time, and that have an
stable over time, and that have an
impact on attitudes and behavior
not, we are constantly valuing things, people, or ideas as good or bad, pleas- impact on attitudes and behavior
ant or unpleasant, ethical or unethical, and so forth. 17 When a person has
strong values in certain areas, these can have a powerful infl uence on behav-
ior. For example, a person who highly values honesty and integrity might lose
respect and lessen his commitment and performance for a leader who tells
“little white lies.”
One way to think about values is in terms of instrumental and end values. 18
Social scientist Milton Rokeach developed a list of 18 instrumental values and
18 end values that have been found to be more or less universal across cultures.
End values, sometimes called terminal values, are beliefs about the kind of goals End values
End values
sometimes called terminal
or outcomes that are worth trying to pursue. For example, some people value sometimes called terminal
values, these are beliefs about
security, a comfortable life, and good health above everything else as the im- values, these are beliefs about
the kind of goals or outcomes
the kind of goals or outcomes
portant goals to strive for in life. Others may place greater value on social that are worth trying to pursue
that are worth trying to pursue
recognition, pleasure, and an exciting life. Instrumental values are beliefs about Instrumental values
Instrumental values
beliefs about the types of
the types of behavior that are appropriate for reaching goals. Instrumental val- beliefs about the types of
behavior that are appropriate for
ues include such things as being helpful to others, being honest, or exhibiting behavior that are appropriate for
reaching goals
reaching goals
courage.
Although everyone has both instrumental and end values, individuals dif-
fer in how they order the values into priorities, which accounts for tremendous
variation among people. Part of this difference relates to culture. In the United
States, independence is highly valued and is reinforced by many institutions,
including schools, religious organizations, and businesses. Other cultures place
less value on independence and more value on being part of a tigh
munity. A person’s family background also infl uences his or her
values. Values are learned, not inherited, but some values be-
Complete the exercise in Leader’s Self-
come incorporated into a person’s thinking very early in life. Action Memo
Some leaders cite their parents as a primary source of their lead- Insight 4.3 on page 106 to see what you can
ership abilities because they helped to shape their values. 19 Bill learn about your own values and how they
Farmer, president of the Jackson-Monroe (Mississippi) division affect your decisions and actions. Were you
of Time Warner Cable, says his mother instilled in him the impor- surprised by any of your instrumental or end
tance of giving back to the community. Farmer voluteers as a guest
reader at Jackson State University’s Learning Center, has served on values?
the boards of numerous non-profi t organizations, and is actively