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Published: Wednesday, 10 October 2012 08:30
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Written by Gail Vallance Barrington
When independent consultants face an ethical dilemma, there is rarely time for consultation or dialogue. How can we be sure that our initial response is the right one? Intuition is seldom enough to really understand the problem so here are four lenses we can use to gain a better perspective on issues we encounter.
1. The values lens—who we are
Our beliefs, values and world view shape our perceptions, define who we are, and govern our day-to-day behavior. These are formed in our earliest days based on gender, family, race, religion, culture, and education, as well as on geographic, political and economic circumstances. As Melvin Hall (2011) has suggested, our world view shapes our implicit theories about how things work. Our values lens defines our personal bottom line or default position but it is colored by emotion and heritage. How reliable is that likely to be in a crisis?
Read more: Ethics On the Go: Which Lens Should We Use?
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Published: Monday, 10 September 2012 08:36
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Written by Gail Vallance Barrington
(The Coffee Shop Chronicles, Part 1)
Coffee time! That wonderful fall energy echoes in the coffee shop buzz as thoughts of back to work come to mind. As I order a latte, I hear a familiar voice. It’s George, a university colleague who did the stats for me on several evaluation projects a few years ago.
Read more: Do I Have What It Takes to Be a Consultant?
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Published: Tuesday, 24 April 2012 01:00
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Written by Gail Vallance Barrington
What is it about time? Why are we afraid of it? We avoid it, deny it, surgically remove it, but like it or not, we are all in its grip. As Dylan Thomas pointed out, even as a youth:
Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea.
Fern Hill - http://wonderingminstrels.blogspot.ca/1999/07/fern-hill-dylan-thomas.html
So let’s get over our fear and look at time another way. The analysis of time use is a critical tool for the independent consultant. By recording it, tracking it, and studying it, we can capture that sense of self-awareness and craftsmanship so clearly demonstrated in Thomas’s poem.
Read more: Time Use Analysis: A Critical Tool for the Independent Consultant
