Independence and Values

Successful team relations depend upon the quality of the interrelations between the members. After undertaking research on personal effectiveness, Steven Covey states that effective relationships depend upon maturity and strength of character to maintain them ¹. He states that it is “the principle of sequencing: private victory precedes public victory.” “Interdependence,” or in the case of “consultation decision making” the dynamics of deciding and working as a team, “is a choice that only independent people can make.”

Thus there is a link between the personal effectiveness of the individuals involved in team decision making and its successful implementation. Individuals participating in this decision making methodology need be concerned with themselves, with their own character. Ideally the individuals involved should be “independent, proactive, centered in correct principles, value driven and able to organize and execute around the priorities in their life with integrity…” At that point they can choose to become interdependent.

“Interdependence opens ups worlds of possibilities for deep, rich, meaningful associations, for geometrically increased productivity, for serving, for contributing, for learning, for growing” ² and for team effectiveness.

EBBF Member Richard Barrett undertakes value assessments as a means to plan and measure organizational transformation. Values are those principles that we hold and stand by when making decisions and they are determinants of the organizational culture. Culture is a concept that can be applied to teams as well as larger groupings of individuals. When looking at behaviours in the team, and its performance, the determinants lie beneath the surface, as illustrated in the analogy of the iceberg (see Figure 3).  When considering consultative decision making, individual values assessments of the potential participants can help to predict whether or not there is potential for its use in a team.