Protected Values in Decision Making

A632.5.5.RB

Reflect on the concept map that you created in the previous exercise and consider the Dan Gilbert video from module one. Discuss your protected values and how far you are willing to go to support those values. Explore the level of protection associated with each of your major values identified in the concept map and detail your thoughts on each. Finally, discuss how those protected values would influence your decision-making.

In our previous assignment, we discussed three protected values. The three I selected to discuss was education, safety/security, and the family unit. As protected values, we hold these values as a core belief in our lives that in some fashion affects our decision making. In other words, we shape our lives around these protected values by actions and/or decisions. Moreover, with such important values, we attempt to guard these protected values in an effort to prevent trade-offs. Yet, this doesn’t always prove to be effective. According to Irwin and Baron (2005), “People try to guard against inconsistencies by creating protected values, values that will never be traded off for another gain, but even these values can fade in certain contexts” (p. 244). This context is important as we explore how these values can shift or even fade when a particular context is in play. Thus, how does this affect how we make decisions? And how effective are we in making these decisions? According to Dan Gilbert (2005), “There are two kinds of errors people make when trying to decide what the right thing is to do and those are errors in estimating the odds that they’re going to succeed and errors in estimating the value of their own success” (2:16). Indeed, without continuously evaluating our protected values and ensuring they are capable of withstanding adversity (challenges), it is likely that as our experiences develop and our values are tested, our protected values may shift and with it the impact of our decisions.

The first protected value I identified was education. I firmly believe that education has the potential to provide the foundation for a productive personal and professional life. In other words, with an education, individuals have more potential for providing a great level of quality of life for their families and productively contribute to their chosen profession. Moreover, with an education, people are able to enjoy more options, which leads to more control over their situation. The associated protection level for this value involves both personal and professional commitments. For example, annually I go out of my way to support educational programs with financial donations or participation. This also includes shopping for and donating school supplies for grade school students that may not have access to basic school necessities. Professionally, I have always encouraged those in my organization to participate in educational programs. In fact, as a part of the formal counseling process, those pursuing higher education were assured that they would be supported (within reason according to military demands and duties) with the time and resources needed to focus on their academic responsibilities. More times than not, we (leaders) we able to adjust certain obligations that would allow these Soldiers/students the opportunity to leave early to study or prepare for exams. Finally, I also encouraged those in courses to share their progress with the organization to recognize their hard work and accomplishments.

The second protected value I highlighted was safety/security. I believe that everyone is entitled to live in a safe and secure environment. Although a tall order, I feel that having well trained and educated security professionals (police, to include other first responders) is important serving their communities, states, and nation. In fact, I have been deeply committed to this value that I actively committed myself to earning a criminal justice degree and volunteered over one-thousand hours at various departments to include the juvenile court system, police departments, sheriff’s offices, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Furthermore, when the time came to enter into a profession, I pursued and received a commission in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, where I served (in my perspective) the greater good.

The final protected value I discussed was the family unit. Thought there are many dynamics to this protected value, I mean to address the importance of the whole as far as providing a nurturing, caring, and supportive environment that is widely accepted as a foundation for productive growth and development. Being a part of a military family, there are many challenges that we face on a constant basis. There are events that typically strain and test the family bonds (not forgetting that this is the case outside of the military as well) such as: professional military education schools that require the service member to be away from home for anywhere between 4-6 months, field training that usually lasts between 1-2 weeks (sometimes longer), and the occasional combat deployment that can last between 9-12 months (sometimes longer. There are even occasions where all of these events occur one after the other. Needless to say, the family unit is tested continuously. In fact, as a retired service member with an active duty spouse, we have endured many of these events as described, as many other military families have as well. The protection level associated with this value requires constant reinforcement and support by all in the family unit. Taking a supportive role and an initiative role is extremely fluid. Thus, in order to prosper and grow, all family units must remain vigilant, supportive, and flexible.

I believe that there is threshold for trade-offs for many protected values. Even though these values play a significant role in our decision making, attempting to apply these protected values in all context is not necessary productive. According to Irwin and Baron (2005), “When people say that a value is absolute and inviolable, they seem to subconsciously have in mind a violation of a certain magnitude and probability. In other words, even when holding protected values people have some threshold for when it is appropriate to hold this value and when it is appropriate to trade it off” (p. 255). With this in mind, I believe the most important factor to always consider when in a position of trade-offs is asking yourself,  “Can I live with myself after looking in the mirror?”

References

Gilbert, D. (2005). Why we make bad decisions. TEDGlobal. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness#t-124952.

Hoch, S. J., & Kunreuther, H. C. (2005). Wharton on making decisions. (1^st edition). Kindle Edition.