Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right

by Mary C. Gentile

How can you effectively stand up for your values when pressured by your boss, customers, or shareholders to do the opposite? Drawing on actual business experiences as well as on social science research, Babson College business educator and consultant Mary Gentile challenges the assumptions about business ethics at companies and business schools. She gives business leaders, managers, and students the tools not just to recognize what is right, but also to ensure that the right things happen. The book is inspired by a program Gentile launched at the Aspen Institute with Yale School of Management, and now housed at Babson College, with pilot programs in over one hundred schools and organizations, including INSEAD and MIT Sloan School of Management. She explains why past attempts at preparing business leaders to act ethically too often failed, arguing that the issue isn’t distinguishing what is right or wrong, but knowing how to act on your values despite opposing pressure. Through research-based advice, practical exercises, and scripts for handling a wide range of ethical dilemmas, Gentile empowers business leaders with the skills to voice and act on their values, and align their professional path with their principles. Giving Voice to Values is an engaging, innovative, and useful guide that is essential reading for anyone in business.

Genres: Leadership, Nonfiction, Business, Psychology, Self Help, Management, Communication

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 24, 2010

Reviews

[Erica Mauter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main points: Know what your values are. Deliberately articulate them to yourself. And then practice speaking to them. It gets easier with practice.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for anyone that faces situations at work (or anywhere) where they want to speak their values but find it hard.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great points, but the author drones on.

[Kiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Gentile's writing is simple, clear, persuasive and supported by research and compelling case studies from leaders she has worked with over her time as an educator - all the makings of a good B-school read.

Giving Voice to Values (GVV) is a methodology to develop ethical leadership skills around the world. The key ingredients in this methodology are a synthesis of a lot of other skills either self-taught (1) or learnt during my MBA in other electives (2 and 3):
1. Values-, purpose- and strength-based approach - very aligned to my own leadership philosophy
2. Knowledge of negotiation principles - understanding the underlying needs and motivations of the person/people you are interacting with, finding common ground, and choosing the right approach for the situation are all elements of great negotiation skills and similarly for effectively giving voice to your values. The methodology also emphasises the importance of information, identifying your gaps, assumptions and figuring out how to fill those before they unravel you. And finally the importance of considered planning!
3. Knowledge of persuasion, behavioural science/ behavioural economics - framing, knowledge and consideration of your biases and the biases of others, and consideration of the six principles of persuasion from Cialdini are the other key tools to success.

The novel content was largely in Chapter 8, which provides the practical advice on how to prepare to counteract reasons and rationalisations. The simplification of the four most common ethical dilemmas, the four most common arguments + the emphasis on learning what the most common challenges are for each industry/role type are key things to add to your personal values-based leadership toolkit.

Overall, a useful read, however not something I would have picked up myself as a leader outside of B-school context or likely recommend outside of a coaching setting. I think this would be something better learnt in a practical course, integrated with a broader leadership development intervention.

Note: I read this as part of my casual academic work, in preparation for how this methodology can be introduced into curriculum.

[Charlice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book addresses an important gap in discussions of business ethics and social responsibility. Most business ethics focus on deciding what the right things is to do, offering up an array of philosophical perspectives that can lead to making highly conflicting decisions on the same issue. But, as Gentile argues, most of us know what we believe is right. The difficulty lies in saying it out loud, especially when that may entail a risk to our selves or our organization. Gentile presents a framework for working ourselves through the process of deciding how to act. She deals with issues ranging from addressing all of our rationalizations for not acting to choosing how to act in a manner consistent with our own personalities. The book will be most compelling to those already in the workforce who have been presented with ethical dilemmas in the past and want tools for handling them more effectively.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Giving Voice to Values" is not just a book but an in depth analysis and consideration of what makes each of us consider what is the "right thing to do".

This is a book for every single one of us, any level of the organisation and any type of organisation.

It provides a template for every single one of us to help navigate the complex world we live in, but a world that relies on each of us to "give voice to values" but know we are not perfect, and we all can learn every day.

[Joshua Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very repetitive and never seems to really get to the point. I would not recommend this book for any reason.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the advice helpful and relevant. It requires knowing your values though and recognizing when someone isn't aligned, which I think is the part with which some people struggle.

[Terra Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving Voice to Values goes beyond theory to provide a practical framework for acting on our values in professional settings. Mary Gentile’s approach is refreshingly pragmatic—focused not on whether we can discern right from wrong, but on how we can actually speak and act on our values once we know them.

Several insights stood out as directly relevant to my own work in values-driven marketing. I appreciated the emphasis on identifying one’s career purpose, and the inclusion of Charles Handy’s take on the purpose of business, both of which help anchor marketing and leadership decisions in something deeper than metrics or money. Gentile also encourages readers to craft personal narratives to communicate their values clearly and persuasively, a concept that aligns closely with brand storytelling.

The book’s Personal/Professional Profile assessment is a simple yet effective tool for recognizing how our unique experiences shape our ethical responses. I also valued Gentile’s normalization of difficult conversations, her nonjudgmental stance on differing values, and her practical advice for buying time to give a thoughtful response when under pressure.

Whether you're in leadership, marketing, or navigating ethical complexity in everyday work, Giving Voice to Values offers strategies that are both actionable and affirming. It’s a book I’ll return to—and reference—often.

[Gurpreet Dhariwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't feel like I was reading a book. It took me on the spiritual journey of life. It was recommended as a part of one of the subjects I have studied at the University and it totally taught me how resilience never goes out of fashion. While dealing with personal setbacks in Canada I have realized I am not the only person who has faced such situations. There are people in this world who weren't entertained professionally because they showcased the audacity to live by their ethical values and practiced the principle of raising their voice whenever the situation demanded. I am also one of those people and keeping my faith in God has got me too far. What I can say about this book is that once you start reading it you will be engrossed with questions like: Am I really doing a great job at work and personally? What is it that needs to be set right more? How does my moral grounds define me as an individual and a professional?

It's going to wake you up from the slumber land and you will never be the same person anymore. This book has encouraged me to practice my voice more diligently, humbly and professionally. It has taught me that we are never alone in our battles. I feel guarded by the universe and God.

May this book leave the same magic on your spirit too. Thank you.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gentile works as professor and business consultant. She has development an action based system to make it easier for employees and managers to speak up for their values and support ethical behavior.

Why I started this book: I'm blasting my way thru the audio books on my professional reading list.

Why I finished it: Short. And it was a good reminder that practicing scripts and looking for large picture consequences will make it easier to convince others to play by the rules. Especially when we find reasons that they will agree with and point out the benefits. I liked the assumption that most people want to be ethical but are also looking for the easy way; combining these rationals in your reasons for speaking up will help people agree with you. Example: It's easier to do this right once, than to have to come back and do it again...

[Neil White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook, and probably would've been better in print. Agree with the overall point that Mary C. Gentile is making and she does provide some helpful strategies. Even though this is a short book (under eight hours in audio format) it is probably a book in written form that I would've gleaned the critical information and read through the case studies (and it sounds like the book is set up for that type of reading).

[Sean Kenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the perspective of the book and the lenses it uses to help you give voice to your values when you already know the right thing to do. It is really about ways to work the muscle of giving voice to your values and recognizing the barriers that exist (most of which we put there) to our acting toward our highest ideals of right and wrong. Not going to help you decide the proper ethical decision, but Mary is very clear that this is not the intention of the book.

[Curt Stamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book as part of a community workshop on integrity and race. So, while the context for the class was to be able to speak up and engage on issues of race and social justice, it provides a framework and tools for us to speak up in other situations where our values conflict with actions or proposed actions.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read about how to leverage personal values as positive reinforcement to encourage acting on those interests in the face of ethical conflicts. Some parts tended towards being pedantic or self-helpy, but there were some really good passages as well. Overall a definitely worthwhile read, and would be useful to come back to in the future. Great for leadership development. 3.5 stars

[Nicholas]

An invaluably practical guide to discerning the ethical course of action in cases of values conflict. I found myself reflecting on past work experiences when I was desperate for some help in knowing how to voice an ethical objection to standard ways of proceeding... this book would have helped me a lot. Now, as I take on new roles within a new organization, I find it insightful and reassuring.

[Sanjeev · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb book, even though a bit densely packed with advice. The dense packing of advice makes it a hard read but the time invested is completely worth it.

I will revisit this book a second or maybe even a third time to be able to glean its advice and mull over it more often.

[Ria Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book presenting a clear and easy to follow approach to standing up in the face of values based conflicts. Lots of good "nuggets" of wisdom which can be used in future training sessions.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring in that it delivers the concept of living by and voicing values to the doorstep of every leader, personally and professionally.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great. Slow start, took too long and was too repetitious getting to the point.

[Philip · Rating 1 out of 5]

Superficial, repetitive and full of cliches. Would not recommend this book.

[Dee’s Cozy Corner Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just know your value. Don't sell your self cheap.

[Peter Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a lot of this book is relevant l found it to be a little dated given the world as it is today. I will take a few nuggets from this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wished I had read this at the start of my career

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book teaches people how to more easily give voice to their values.

[Jesmar Mendiola Guzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for Grad School, I feel like I already do majority of what this book teaches. Overall: Meh

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book's premise is that most people do not need a lot of ethics training to help them recognize legal or ethical problems in the workplace. What is often needed however, is training and guidance to help employees speak out against something that sets off ethical alarms. Mary Gentile has developed a training program to address this type of situation, and this books distills the basic ideas from that course. Although the principles she presents are fairly universal and can be apply to most workplaces, she is entirely focused on large corporate business environments. It's up to the reader to decide how her ideas can be ported to other work settings.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

While definitely more business focused, GVV fills a void - how do you express your values in a world that might not always agree with them? There are a few chapters to read word for word and few you can just browse. Here are the steps they outline:
1. Know and appeal to a short list of widely shared values
2. Discover and believe you have a choice
3. Make voicing values and dealing with conflict your normal
4. Define your personal and professional values
5. Generate your narrative about voicing your values
6. Practice using your style
7. Anticipate typical rationalization and identify counter-arguments

[Katherine Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of discussing Dr. Gentile’s work with her a while back, and was delighted to discover that her work takes on a very action-oriented approach: instead of wondering whether values should be considered, or debating what they might be, this approach focuses on how to ‘voice those values’, how to make things happen. Originally supported by the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program and Yale School of Management, Giving Voice to Values is also an active curriculum used in numerous settings, and yes, it is OPEN, FREE, and highly collaborative (details of the curriculum are at this Babson link).

[Von Bismarck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Values are seen in the utilitarian sense and objectified - despite our persuasive rhetoric in framing our arguments to counter others, they can all be most constructively seen as tools in business. This book aims to show how you can give more credibility to your own voice, and give you incentive to use your voice to add to the shared values of the workplace. This can be in narrative style which favours the powers of surprise, since a counterargument from someone else should not be reason to keep ideas to yourself. All values are taken to the corporeal heart since non are universal.