1. In your definition of a “well-run” company, how important are the following?

indicate whether each one of the following is “very important,” “somewhat important,” or
“not important at all.”
a.) Provides excellent customer service
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
b.) Has efficient and flexible operations
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
c.) Offers high financial return to shareholders
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
d.) Attracts and retains exceptional people
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
e.) Creates products or services that benefit society
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
f.) Adheres to a strong mission
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
g.) Invests in employee training and professional development
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
2
h.) Operates according to its values and a strong code of ethics
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
i.) Is a stable employer
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
j.) Provides competitive compensation
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all
k.) Adheres to progressive environmental policies
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all

l.) Produces high-quality products and services
Very important Somewhat important Not important at all

2. Would you add something to the above list that you think is “very important”? If so,
what?
3. Which of the following issues pose the greatest challenges for today’s CEOs and senior
executives?

choose a maximum of three alternatives.
____ Lack of investor confidence
____ Increased activism on the part of environmental and social advocacy groups
____ Corporate scandal (e.g., accounting misstatements, conflict of interest)
____ Questions about executive compensation levels and incentive systems
____ Breakdown in trust between employees and management
____ Inadequate regulatory and legal institutions
____ Product safety and liability
____ Economic downturn
____ Growing inequity in the distribution of wealth around the world
____ Lack of public trust in business
____ Managing international supply chain requirements
____ War and international instability
____ Threat of terrorism
____ Other (please specify)
This material is part of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum collection (www.GivingVoiceToValues.org).
The Aspen Institute was founding partner, along with the Yale School of Management, and incubator for Giving Voice to Values (GVV).
Now Funded by Babson College.
Do not alter or distribute without permission. © Mary C. Gentile, 2010
3
4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Please indicate whether you “strongly agree,” “somewhat agree,” ”somewhat disagree,” or “strongly
disagree” with each of the following statements:
a.) Business people are more likely to care about the social responsibilities of companies when the
economy is strong.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
b.) When a multi-national company is entering a new market in a less-developed country, it
has a responsibility to go above and beyond business success and contribute to the development of
the local community.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
c.) When it comes to the environment, all a company has to do is to comply with the law.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
d.) Companies should maintain their employees’ job security even if they incur a short-term
drop in profit as a result.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
e.) Most companies accurately report their earnings and profits.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
f.) Corporate reputation is important to me in making my decision about the organization
where I want to work.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
g.) Managers place too much emphasis on short-term performance measures when making
business decisions.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
h.) I anticipate that my own values will sometimes conflict with what I am asked to do in
business.
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
5. If you answered the above statement “4h” with “somewhat agree” or “strongly agree,”
please specify which kinds of values conflicts you expect to face:
This material is part of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum collection (www.GivingVoiceToValues.org).
The Aspen Institute was founding partner, along with the Yale School of Management, and incubator for Giving Voice to Values (GVV).
Now Funded by Babson College.
Do not alter or distribute without permission. © Mary C. Gentile, 2010
4

6. Assume you are engaged in each of the following business activities/practices. How
likely do you think it is that values conflicts would arise?
indicate whether it is “very likely,” “somewhat likely,” or “not likely at all” that values
conflicts would arise.
a.) Managing personnel in manufacturing facilities/ plants
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
b.) Outsourcing production operations
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
c.) Investing in less-developed countries
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
d.) Downsizing
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
e.) Financial reporting
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
f.) Natural resource exploration
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
g.) Awarding stock options
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
h.) Setting executive compensation levels
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
i.) Conducting performance reviews
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
j.) Interacting with government officials
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
k.) Raising or borrowing capital
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
l.) Negotiating with suppliers or customers

7. If you find that your values conflict with those of the company where you work, how
likely is it that you will:

Indicate whether it is “very likely,” “somewhat likely,” or “not likely at all”
a.) Not mind too much
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
b.) Experience it as stressful
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
c.) Quietly handle the stress
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
d.) Look for another job
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
e.) Speak up about your objections
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
f.) Advocate alternative values or approaches within the company
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all
g.) Try to get others to join you in addressing your concerns
Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely at all

8. Think of a few occasions when you encountered a values conflict in your previous work
experience. Recall how you handled the situations. Would you characterize yourself
and your behavior as that of:2
____an Idealist (One who is primarily concerned with moral ideals when making decisions on how
to act.)
____a Pragmatist (One who is concerned with his/her own material welfare, but also with moral
ideals. “Pragmatists will gladly do their fair share to create a civil society, but not place themselves
at a systematic disadvantage” to do so.)
____an Opportunist (One who is only concerned with his/her own material welfare.)
2
Categories and descriptions drawn from Gregory Dees and Peter Crampton, “Shrewd Bargaining on the Moral Frontier: Toward a Theory
of Morality in Practice”, Business Ethics Quarterly, April 1991, vol. 1, no. 2, p. 146 and 164.
This material is part of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum collection
(www.GivingVoiceToValues.org).
9. If you placed yourself in the category of “pragmatist,” what can you do to maximize the
likelihood that you will act on your ideals? What competencies will you need?

10.Think of someone you deeply respect. What are the 2 or 3 characteristics you most
admire in this person?
11.Who are you at your best?
12.Name your 3 or 4 deepest values.
13.What is the one sentence you would like to see in your obituary that captures who you
really were in your life?
14.Questions of Purpose:
What is your personal purpose for your business career?
 Some possible issues to consider:
 What impact do you want to have? On whom?
 Whom do you want to know you benefited? In what ways?
 What do you want to learn?
 How do you define your impact as a/n: auditor, investor, manager, product developer, marketer,
senior executive, etc.?
 What do you hope to accomplish? What will make your professional life worthwhile?
 How do you want to feel about yourself and your work, both while you are doing it and in the end?
This material is part of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum collection
15.Questions of Risk
a.) Are you a risk-taker or risk-averse?
b.) What are the greatest risks you face in your line of work? Are they personal (e.g., livelihood,
deportation, legal punishment) or are they professional (e.g., harm to customers, employees, the firm), or
are they societal (e.g., impact on environment, profession, industry, nation)?
c.) What levels of risk can and can’t you live with?
16.Questions of Personal Communication Style/Preference:
a.) Do you deal well with conflict or are you non-confrontational? Under what circumstances do you
behave in each way?
b.) Do you prefer communicating in person or in writing?
c.) Do you think best from the gut and in-the-moment or do you need to take time out to reflect and craft
your communications?
d.) Do you assert your position with statements or do you use questions to
communicate?
This material is part of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum collection (www.GivingVoiceToValues.org).
The Aspen Institute was founding partner, along with the Yale School of Management, and incubator for Giving Voice to Values (GVV).
Now Funded by Babson College.
Do not alter or distribute without permission. © Mary C. Gentile, 2010
8
17.Questions of Loyalty:
a.) Do you tend to feel the greatest loyalty to family; work colleagues; your firm/employer; or to other
stakeholders, such as customers?
b.) Under what conditions and given what stakes?
18.Questions of Self-Image:
a.) Do you see yourself as shrewd or naïve?
b.) As idealistic or pragmatic?
c.) As a learner or as a teacher?
d.) Other?