HR ROUNDTABLE I

When
values clash ■ BY SANNITA CHAKRABORTY SAHA

26 I December 2013 www.humancapitalonline.com ■


ur expert panelists
O Ganesh Natarajan, Vice
Chairman and CEO at
Zensar Technologies,
Sudheesh Venkatesh,
Chief People Officer at Azim Premji
Foundation, Rajendra Ghag,
Executive Vice President - Human
Resources at HDFC Standard Life,
and Manavi Pathak, Organization
Psychologist share their views on how
to handle situations where
individual and organizational
beliefs clash.
Value systems are personal and at
times may clash with
organizational beliefs of what is
appropriate in a given business
situation. To what extent is it
practical to give priority to
personal values in such cases?
Ganesh Natarajan: The biggest cause
of disruption in business
organisations is the potential clash
of the personal values of a manager
with the value systems of the
organization itself. Corporate history
is replete with cases where managers
with high standards of ethics and
values have initially argued and
eventually left the organization when
they could not bear to compromise
their personal value system in a
perceived situation of conflict.
Organization designers, heads of
human resources and of course
CEOs must recognize this potential
conflict early on and be careful to
articulate the corporate value systems
clearly and unambiguously so that
the right people join the firm who
subscribe to these value systems and
do not cause themselves or the
organization harm by an inability to
reconcile the two at some later stage
in their tenure. However sometimes
the onus is as much on the individual
as it is on the organization. Many
well-meaning managers join firms of
dubious reputation fully aware of the
potential problems and then squeal
when the going gets too hot for them.
Areas like ethics and morals should
never be compromised and if a
candidate has the slightest inkling
that the firm they are considering
may not have the highest standards
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I HR ROUNDTABLE
in either areas, it is better to steer generosity and compassion. These
safely away from employment in
such an organization.
What is appropriate in a given
business situation has to be decided
by the organization after detailed
consideration of all options. If it does
not violate the ethics and morals line,
are desirable values but may not be
universally accepted. These personal
values will often be different from
organization beliefs. Unlike in the
first category of values, the room
for compromise is a shade higher
here. When they come in conflict,
good managers must toe the party leaders would do well to talk this out
line though they are welcome to with the organization and develop
argues before the decision is taken. solutions. To take a firm,
Sudheesh Venkatesh: At the risk of uncompromising stand on these
oversimplification, we could may not be particularly wise. These
categorize personal values into two values are best held in the personal
kinds. The first category has values domain.
such as honesty, trust, respect and Rajendra Ghag: We all have our own
fairness. Good leaders will hold this values, beliefs and attitudes that we
very dear and try hard to assert their have developed throughout the
position on these. Most course of our lives. Our values
organizations hold beliefs similar to influence many of the judgments we
this set of values and hence the make as well as have an impact on
possibilities for friction are the way we behave at work. It is
minimized here. However, in the odd important to not only have
chance of a conflict, the experience knowledge of our value system, but
can be quite grating. It is because also to understand that values
people are giving the best years of underpin our beliefs and beliefs
their lives to an organization and underpin behavior.
this conflict can be deeply unsettling, It is important that we
hurting them deep inside and making demonstrate and practice values
In a cut-throat business environment,
where profits are paramount, organizations
cannot afford to blink twice before taking
hard decisions… sometimes at the risk of
compromising on softer, more human belief
systems. What if the individual's values
differ, yet the organization or the role
demands the opposite?
them wonder 'what am I doing here'? more than the words on walls and
The antithesis of these values, i.e., lift doors - actions speak louder, by
dishonesty, mistrust, disrespect and which we can really hold our feet to
unfairness manifests covertly in the fire when we need to. Every
organizations. Never would you see company deals with some degree of
an organization preach dishonesty moral/ethical sword fighting. A good
or unfairness, but we see them being company protects its top line - the
practiced. It is very hard for leaders revenue line - by selling smartly and
to negotiate on these values and be protects its bottom line by showing
happy. fiduciary responsibility and
The second category has values prudence.
such as self-discipline, reflection, With diverse workforce, diverse
December 2013 I 27
 HR ROUNDTABLE I
opinions, beliefs also flow in, which
does result into conflicts between
personal and organizational values
at times. But it is both employees'
and employers' responsibility to
work towards avoiding such conflicts.
We encourage our employees to
promise what can be delivered, and
deliver on the promises made to our
customers. Our key strategy is to have
quality business no matter how.
When personal and organizational
values align, employees understand
one another, everyone does the right
things for the right reasons, and this
common purpose and understanding
helps build great working
relationships. Values alignment helps
the organization as a whole to
achieve its core mission.
Manavi Pathak: One needs to
examine personal values and see
how they mesh/or are aligned to the
organizational values. For most
employees, personal values come
first and it is not wise to disregard
personal values in the long run as it
leads to dissatisfaction and
discomfort. Within the work
environment, an individual may
encounter situations which are
divergent to one's value system and
it leads to conflict. Sometimes such
conflicts can be resolved through
dialogue and discussions. However,
if the clash continues personal values
are difficult to ignore. As business
leaders, most people are sometimes
tempted to compromise these basic
truths, dodging, ignoring or
compromising our principles,
however ultimately we return to
these simple truths. In a world,
where change can be bewildering,
personal values offer touchstones
defining our actions, our decisions
and the manner in which we treat
others. Personal values connect with
the powerful forces dictating our
actions and should be given
precedence.
At times, one needs to compromise
on one's personal ethics in favour
of the organizational value system.
How can one resolve the
psychological dilemma it creates
internally?
Ganesh Natarajan: This is incorrect-
28 I December 2013
Panelists
GANESH NATARAJAN is Vice Chairman & CEO at
Zensar Technologies, a global firm that transforms
Technology and Processes for Fortune 500
companies. He is a Board Member of the RPG Group,
Board Member of Global Talent Track, Chair -
Knowledge IP & Innovation CII and member of the
Chairmen’s Council of NASSCOM.
SUDHEESH is the Chief People Officer at Azim
Premji Foundation. Prior to this, he was Head of
Human Resources at Tesco, India and later the
Shared Services Lead for Tesco’s UK - People
programme. He holds a Post Graduate degree in
Management from the Indian Institute of
Management, Kolkata.
MANAVI is an HR Consultant & Psychologist with
over a decade of experience in talent management,
leadership assessment, executive coaching, training .
In the past, she has worked with Pricewaterhouse
Coopers where she was involved in People & Change
Advisory Services. Prior to this, she was with KPMG
Advisory Services.
RAJENDRA GHAG is Sr. Executive VP & Chief HR
Officer at HDFC Life. He has more than two and half
decades of rich work experience mostly in large Indian
and multinational companies. He brings with him huge
perspective not only in HR domain, but also in the
overall business management area due to his six sigma
and process management expertise.
nobody should compromise their values keeping the longer term in
ethics or morals in any mind. Wise leaders know where to
circumstance. A manager who does compromise and where to dig their
an act of ethical transgression will heels in. Undoubtedly this
never be able to look at himself in compromise creates psychological
the mirror again. stress. There are several ways of
Sudheesh Venkatesh: People have a dealing with it, including keeping the
survival instinct and a hierarchy of organization before the individual. If
compromises they are ready to this belief is good for the
make. Sensible people make tactical organization, then it must be good
compromise on a few personal for me.
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 HR ROUNDTABLE I
It would be impractical to keep articulated code of conduct, we keep
moving from one organization to the telling employees in every town hall
other in the quest for the ideal, "if in doubt, please check, disclose
because there is no such ideal. Once and take permissions". We should be
there is a broad fit, one should be guided by our moral compass in
able to take the rough with the doing the right things every time.
Sometimes ethics
conflicts arise from
things other than facts:
A CLASSIC CASE rumour, innuendo or
Corporate psychologist, Justin Schultz said, “Just as s e c o n d - h a n d
character matters in people, it matters in information. Don't get
organizations.” While the Enron scandal can be caught up in this. We
termed as a perfect example of “crisis of values” in advise employees/
an organization, stakeholders to stop
yet one lone voice listening, push back and
turned tables on refuse to participate,
America’s biggest manage by fact,
corporate fraud. minimize emotion, and
"Enron whistle- maximize logic.
blower" Sherron Manavi Pathak: Every
Watkins warned employee is an
company founder organization is exposed
Kenneth Lay of the to the risk of facing an
impending financial disaster. In retrospect, had ethical dilemma at
Watkins not raised her concerns again to against some point and some
the company’s wrong doings, taken a stand on ethical decisions are
what was happening, we wouldn't have been reading more challenging to
this. It was her inherent value system which urged fully understand than
her to sound the alarm after discovering Enron’s others. 'Moral stress'
“off-the-books arrangements”. She once said, “If results when
you want to have the courage of your convictions, incongruence between
you have to safeguard your reputation. I could take personal values and
the risk because I didn't have any skeletons in my those perceived to be
closet. If you see unethical practices in your held by the
company, your career is forever changed. You’re organization emerge
either going along with it, or on the flip side, protest, and this leads to
and be labelled a troublemaker.” conflict. If the discord
is high, the individual is
most likely to quit the
smooth. If we become obstinate organization or ' blow the whistle'. If
about small things, we put ourselves the dissension is low, the individuals
under unnecessary stress. It is no gradually adapt to the organizational
surprise that the happiest moments norms and get socialized to the
for any good professional come system.
when there is strong alignment of
personal values with organization In such a situation, how far is it
beliefs. possible to disengage one's
Rajendra Ghag: Employees should personal self from the role one is
not entirely influence organizational playing in the organization? Your
decisions based on their individual opinion.
personal values. They are required Ganesh Natarajan: One should
to align with organizational values never disengage from the personal
and objectives to ensure that all their code of ethics and morals. However,
dealings are within the defined there is always a need to introspect
regulations and framework. In case and be prepared to reconcile one's
of any conflict, employees should personal desires with the larger
take appropriate guidance in case of needs of the organizations. Many
slightest doubt. In addition to clearly managers are uncomfortable with
30 I December 2013
asking people to leave but when
there is a larger need of the
organization to stay profitable, good
managers are able to understand and
adapt to the situation.
Case in point is Zensar in its first
year of inception in 2001, when it
had added two hundred extra people
in anticipation of business in the US
which was not forthcoming. When I
took over as CEO, I realized that we
would need to let go of 120 people
because they did not have the skills
that matched the marketing
capabilities or the business needs.
There was some reluctance because
such a situation had never been faced
but with the complete commitment
of HR, I was able to take all business
leaders in confidence and we
accomplished the employee
reduction imperative in a timely yet
humane manner.
Sudheesh Venkatesh: It is indeed
very difficult to disengage one's
personal self from the role one is
playing. It requires remarkable 'sang
froid' to stay like a water drop on a
lotus petal, fully engaged in the role,
but detached in a sense. There are
several people who are unaffected,
because they have no psychological
contract with the organization and
they would work anywhere else for
a little more money - we are
obviously not talking of such people
here.
Rajendra Ghag: Employees being
the strategic partner, the most
important thing we do is to
understand his or her values/
workplace values while interviewing.
After all, you can train people to
cover skills gaps, and you can help
people gain experience. But it's really
challenging to get people to change
their values. There is a high focus to
communicate and discuss the
mission and organizational values
frequently with the employees
though multiple communication
forums such as, town halls, employee
social network, huddles, etc. The
organizational goals are established
that are grounded in the identified
values. Reward and recognition has
been designed for employees whose
actions and accomplishments reflect
the values in action within the
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 HR ROUNDTABLE I
organization. Sudheesh Venkatesh: Value conflicts
Manavi Pathak: Disengagement is will undoubtedly have a bearing on
likely to happen if the dissonance relationships with colleagues. It
level is high. It is most likely to occur requires maturity to keep the value
in those employees who have high conflict separate from the
self-esteem, high self-efficacy and relationship. However this is rare.
high internal locus of control. What I have seen happen most often
Research evidence suggests that it's is that the value conflict ratchets
a complex interplay of personality up, there is mind talk and the
employee begins to
disengage with the
AN EXPERT VIEW organization. Some
In his book, Competing with Integrity in employees quit
International Business, Prof. Richard De George immediately (on principle)
talks about the concept of ‘ethical displacement’. and several wait for the
He suggests that in an organization, ethical next available opportunity.
dilemmas need to In both cases, once the
be displaced process of disengagement
upwards to the starts it is almost always
higher management irreversible. The only thing
level, and only then one could do is to part
it can be resolved. without making a big fuss
A proper policy and burning bridges.
framed by a Rajendra Ghag:
company or an Individuals with different
authorized body be it the government or an value systems often have
industry body, will help a manager resolve an trouble working together
instance of ethical dilemma. For instance, and understanding each
whether or not to accept a gift from a supplier other's motives. Matching
will always be a matter of ethical dilemma for a managerial values with
manager and a proper company policy will act shared values of the
as a guideline in this case. organization may also be
a key element in successful
human resource
factors (individual) and management. When managers and
organizational factors (situational) staff feel like they must adjust or
that leads to the disengagement. compromise their values to work
within a company's structure, they
A disharmonious situation arising may not be contributing all that they
out of a value conflict can affect could to an organization's success.
relationships with others and By speaking up and being true to
cause disconnect with the their values, employees can support
organization. How can one avoid the organization in becoming
the worst? stronger and more successful. First,
Ganesh Natarajan: If a manager is speak up, but shift from 'being right'
unable to gracefully change his mind to 'helping the right thing happen'.
and stays dogmatic about a personal Also, ask yourself why you are
preference in the face of a pressing reluctant to compromise in the
organization need, she will be doing situation, what impact or risk that
a disfavour to the organization by you see.
staying on and reluctantly toeing the Manavi Pathak: When employees
party line. The best thing to do when strive to be personally ethical and
conflict arises is to complete the perceive little support for their
assigned task and then gracefully ethical behaviour by their colleagues
leave the role or the organization. and subordinates, the resulting
Disgruntled managers can be very dissonance will create conflicts,
disruptive - to themselves, their defined by domination and
teams and the organizations and oppression rather than influence and
should not stay on. commitment. Avoiding the worse is
32 I December 2013
possible if the individual re-
examines his or her values in the
context of the work scenario. This
would involve self-reflection and
critical thinking; however it is also
likely that certain conflicts might still
go unresolved.
Conflict is not always negative. In
fact, it can be healthy when
effectively managed. How can
organizations leverage on this
aspect and create stronger
organization culture?
Ganesh Natarajan: The creation of
healthy and non-political conflict is
an important part of a leader's
toolkit and it is only the creation
and management of conflict that
enables different points of view to
be aired and build better decision-
making processes throughout the
organization. However, there should
be a consensus that arguments and
conflicts are welcome in the process
of thinking through situations and
deciding on actions. Once a decision
is taken, managers must stop
arguing and go all out to work
shoulder to shoulder in the
common cause of the organization.
It is important for all corporate
teams to understand the value of
conflict and ensure that the
organization does not get filled with
'yes men', which is a prescription
for mediocrity. Strong managers
with well-articulated and deeply held
value stems will form the value fibre
of the organization which will take
it through tough times. It is this
team of like-minded managers who
should find their way to leadership
and once that happens the
consistency of value stems through
the organization will ensure that all
decisions and actions are well-
thought through and the actions of
the firm in the marketplace are
consistent at all times.
Sudheesh Venkatesh: I completely
agree with the statement. In fact,
some amount of conflict is
necessary for an organization to
remain healthy and relevant. Values
are contextual to the times and
society we live in. Minor conflicts
remind the organizations on what
needs to change and what needs to
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 I HR ROUNDTABLE

be held on to. Having said effective conflict

that, in every organization, management to a great extent
tactics should change CREATING is the result of the overall
frequently, strategy less so THE CONNECT value system that
and values clearly should last The article Clash of the Titans,Values versus organization has.
longer. The 'sand pile effect' Performance, the Ken Hultman bring forth the Manavi Pathak: Indeed,
as it has come to be known revelation on how there is a positive side to
actually demonstrates that it several organizations conflicts. One needs to
is good for organizations to worldwide have been differentiate between conflict
have minor conflicts and blamed for treating the of ideas and conflict of egos
small clashes regularly so process of established or personalities. When
that a major avalanche is values autonomously. individuals have a different
prevented from occurring It highlights how perspective, there might be
later. Organizations should industry experts have made it precedent that to clash of ideas. However, new
therefore be open to move towards its vision, organizations must creative ideas can lead to new
conflicts, understand the create an alignment between personal and thought leadership. If it is a
causes, arbitrate, resolve and organizational values. In fact, global research clash of egos, then steps
keep moving forward. has proved that employees often perceive this should be taken to identify
Rajendra Ghag: Conflicts alignment positively, which further leads to and control such conflicts as
are not always negative, if enhanced job satisfaction, commitment, it leads to negativity and toxic
managed well they can result engagement, and reduced attrition. environment at the
into effective problem solving workplace. Organizations
and effective interpersonal should promote creativity in
relationships. Leadership plays an expectations. Encourage differences teams and rewards individuals for
important role in making sure that of opinion, supported with data and creative and innovative thought
conflict is managed properly. We facts. processes. Organizations should
need to foster a work environment Conflict is the alternative to promote risk taking, tolerance for
in which healthy conflict is groupthink and if you ask me, I'd ambiguity and perseverance as a
encouraged by setting clear rather have conflict. Needless to say, part of their culture. HC

■ www.humancapitalonline.com December 2013 I 33

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