Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-giving-voice-to-values

Introduction

**Course Review: Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values** In today's complex world, where ethical dilemmas often arise in workplaces and beyond, the ability to navigate these challenges with integrity is more crucial than ever. Coursera's "Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values" course provides an invaluable framework for aspiring leaders and professionals aiming to embody their values in real-world scenarios. ### Course Overview This course offers an enriching, action-oriented introduction to the concept of Giving Voice to Values (GVV). Rather than focusing on persuading individuals to be more ethical, GVV operates on the premise that many of us inherently wish to act according to our values but may lack the tools or confidence to do so effectively. Through engaging case studies and practical exercises, participants will discover how to articulate their values in a way that fosters positive change and ethical leadership. ### Syllabus Breakdown **Week 1: What Is Giving Voice to Values? Why and How It Works** The first week is centered around recognizing values conflicts, using a compelling narrative, “The Client That Fell Through the Cracks,” to highlight common ethical predicaments. Participants are acquainted with the foundational elements of GVV, including the introduction of seven pillars that underpin the approach. By examining the pillars of Values and Purpose, learners will begin to pivot their mindset from passive acknowledgement of ethical dilemmas to actionable strategies for voicing their morals. **Week 2: Recognizing and Learning From Your Successes and Failures** In the second week, the course encourages reflection on personal experiences with ethics in action. By identifying past successes and failures in voicing one's values, participants gain insights into their own strengths and tendencies. The focus on Choice, Normalization, and Self-Knowledge pinpoints how individuals can alter their perception of choices available, setting the groundwork for valuing normalcy in ethical conflicts. Real-life examples, like Ceilia's story, illustrate the practical application of these insights. **Week 3: Developing Scripts and Action Plans** The third week shifts focus to creating a toolkit for ethical expression, which is essential in fostering confidence. Here, the concept of "Voice" is explored in depth—tools and techniques are introduced to help participants prepare for potential objections they might encounter. Through case studies that highlight varied organizational levels, learners craft their own scripts and plans to effectively communicate their values in a range of scenarios. **Week 4: Addressing Challenges and Opportunities with the GVV Approach** In the final week, participants delve deeper into the challenges they might face when attempting values-driven leadership. This section synthesizes core lessons from the course and equips learners with an individualized GVV Implementation Plan. Insightful testimonials from practitioners in diverse fields underscore the real-world impact of GVV, demonstrating how a values-oriented approach can lead to transformative experiences in business and education. ### Recommendation I highly recommend the "Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values" course for anyone looking to develop their ethical leadership skills. This course not only emphasizes the importance of personal values but also provides actionable strategies for voicing those values in a professional context. It creates a supportive environment for reflection and growth, with practical tools that can be utilized in varied situations. Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a seasoned professional, or someone simply interested in ethical practices in business, this course is an excellent investment in your personal and professional development. By the end of this course, participants will be well-equipped to face ethical dilemmas, articulate their values confidently, and contribute positively to their organizations and communities. Embark on this journey in ethical leadership, and unlock the power of your voice.

Syllabus

What Is Giving Voice to Values? Why and How It Works

Welcome to week one of the course! What kinds of values conflicts have you experienced in your life? Has there been a time in your life where you have been faced with a values conflict and didn't know how to speak up, or what to say? During this week, you'll first be introduced to a story called The Client That Fell Through the Cracks. This story provides an example of the kind of values conflict that we all can encounter in the workplace, and how to address it by effectively acting on your values. Next, you'll explore what Giving Voice to Values (GVV) is and who uses it. You'll hear from practitioners in business, higher education, and the military in regards to why and how they used GVV to address their workplace challenges. We'll discover how research informs GVV in developing a moral muscle memory, and how this innovative approach is different from traditional approaches to ethics. Then you'll be briefly introduced to the seven pillars that form the foundation of GVV. Finally, we'll spend some time examining in more depth the first two pillars, Values and Purpose. By the end of this module, you'll realize in the face of values conflicts there is power and impact in asking yourself a new question, "What if I was going to act on my values--what would I say and do?"

What are some of your own individual successes and failures at effectively voicing and acting on your values? What conditions made it easier for you to speak and act, and which conditions made it more difficult? We will spend week two of the course recognizing and reflecting on your responses to these questions so that you can gain some insights into your own strengths, abilities, and personal styles that empower you to act on your values. You'll do so by continuing to explore the pillars of GVV by taking an in depth look at Choice, Normalization, and Self-Knowledge and Alignment. Often people do not act on their values because they felt as though they had no choice. We learn that we often have more options than we believe we do. The Normalization pillar helps us perceive values conflicts as a normal everyday part of our lives. The Self-Knowledge and Alignment pillar helps us understand how to identify and use our strengths and abilities to effectively act on our values. Finally, we will hear a story about Ceilia and how she framed a challenge that played to her strengths to address a values conflict in her work. By the end of this module, you'll be able to identify and consider your own strengths and preferences for values expression in your career and your broader life.

Welcome to Week 3! During this week you'll start to build a "tool-kit" for ways to feel more confident and comfortable in voicing your values. You'll discover how to develop scripts and action plans. First, you'll explore the GVV pillar, Voice. This pillar helps you understand how you can examine the different ways to build your capacity for voice and the variety of forms it can take. Next, you'll be introduced to the final pillar, Reasons and Rationalizations. This pillar helps you understand how to anticipate the objections that you might face when trying to voice your values. By doing so, you can prepare and practice effective responses to these objections. Then you'll discover some of the challenges and opportunities you may face in voicing your values based on your level and position within an organization. Recognizing these challenges and opportunities can help you identify which levers you can use to address them. Two cases are provided to illustrate the point that you can find effective strategies for acting on your values at all levels of experience and authority. By the end of the module you will have identified tools that you can use to help you voice your values effectively. You'll use these newly acquired tools to revisit your Tale of Two Stories and craft a new ending.

What are some challenges and opportunities you might face in developing values-driven leadership? How might GVV address these challenges and opportunities? This final module addresses some of these challenges and opportunities of values driven leadership development within business and education contexts for managers, corporate users, faculty, and senior leaders. You'll then review some of the core lessons of GVV to apply to work and your individual lives. Finally, you'll hear again from the practitioners from week one in business, higher education, and the military in regards to their implementation process, impacts, and insights gained from using GVV in their workplaces. By the end of this module, you'll be able to create an individualized GVV Implementation Plan.