How we behave and how we think, how we solve problems and how we negotiate, how we work and how we play – all of these are influenced by our beliefs and our values. But not everyone shares the same set of values that you do. It might surprise you to learn that the values that matter most to you might barely register with your colleagues. For example, if one person cares most about hitting sales numbers and another cares passionately about the quality of delivery, then there can be a real values clash if there are problems in the production process.
Values clashes might happen between team members, between an individual and the organization, between a team member and a supplier or customer, or even between you and the work that you’re given. Conflicts like these could become problematic, particularly if they’re ignored. This article shows you how to manage values clashes in the workplace, and how to find solutions that suit all parties.
What Are Values?
Values are the beliefs and principles that underpin your day-to-day life. They represent what you consider to be important and insignificant, good and bad, right and wrong. They are often informed by the environment and culture that you’ve grown up in. So, whether you base your beliefs on national, generational, religious, organizational, or professional ideologies, together they frame the way that you view the world. Your values govern the way that you live, and shape the way that you behave, guiding your judgments and decisions. They also have a major influence on how you approach your work, and how you relate to your colleagues and your organization. An organization will also have its own set of values. They shape its culture, support its core mission and vision and inform its and its employees’ actions and conduct.
When Values Clash
Researchers have found that modern workplaces are becoming increasingly “values diverse.” And in the same way that diversity of age, ethnicity and gender can benefit organizations, values-based diversity can also be an advantage. Being open to different values can create more diverse teams which leads to a more balanced organization. At the same time, however, people have become much less inclined to forsake their principles to fit in with the values of their employer or their colleagues. This means clashes between workers with different values have become more common.
How to Manage a Values Clash
The following tips can help you to manage the complicated process of resolving a clash of values at work:
1. Be Alert to a Values Clash
When there is a clash between co-workers, you might not immediately recognize differing values as its cause. Perhaps you’re having difficulty understanding why a project didn’t go as well as you’d hoped. Or maybe a conflict has erupted between two colleagues over an apparently minor matter. You can’t see any tangible reason for the conflict but look deeper and you might find that differing values are the root cause. Consider a values clash as a potential cause of friction, alongside more common workplace issues such as lack of communication or poor listening skills, when you are trying to solve a problem.
2. Identify People’s Values
Identify your co-workers’/employee’s values. When you know what lies behind the clash, you can quickly get to the heart of the problem and help to resolve it.
3. Get the Parties Talking
When values clash, be mindful that people’s viewpoints aren’t necessarily right or wrong – just different. Someone else’s values might seem illogical, mean or even outrageous to you, but remember to reserve your own judgment and to use effective communication to resolve the conflict. You never know, what began as a conflict could turn into an opportunity for achieving a deeper understanding and respect between your team members.
4. Find Common Ground
Try to identify areas where the parties’ values might overlap, rather than where they conflict. This can help them to find common ground. Try to negotiate a win-win solution that accommodates both sets of values and gets the best from them. Not only will this help to encourage communication and collaboration, but it also means that both parties can stay true to their principles, protect their self-esteem, and avoid feeling resentful or guilty.
5. Choose Between Values
Values sometimes run so deep that compromise is impossible. If, after talking it through, both sides are still no closer to finding a solution, you may have to step in and decide which set of values to prioritize. You may need to make a strategic choice and pick the value that matters most to the team, with the aim of moving forward. If the conflict is between one of your team members and your organization, you may need to remind them of their obligations to do the work that you’ve hired them to do, and to represent the company according to its mission and values.
