- October 29, 2012
- 1:20 pm
- no comments
Do you hold to your standards 100% of the time?
In this compelling interview, Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen discusses his recent book, “How Will You Measure Your Life.” In sharing a thought-provoking story of one of his own life choices, Christensen talks about the importance of holding to your standards 100% of the time. In fact, he says “It’s easier to keep to your standards 100% of the time than it is 98% of the time.”
Christensen discusses whether ethics can be “taught,” how bending your standards “just once” can lead to a slippery slope, and how being disciplined enough to maintain high standards can lead to the most ethical decisions – and those that are best for the organization.
In listening to the interview, I was struck by how closely Quinlan’s High-Impact Leadership program is aligned with these same themes: sound judgment and decision-making; how ideas of fairness, justice, and ethical decision making impact the bottom line as well as employee productivity; and, how we as individuals can increase our skills in improving the decisions we make on a daily basis.
I highly recommend watching the interview. I found it to be stimulating and have added the book to my reading list. Has anyone out there read the book? Do you agree with his premise? Is it easier – or preferable or even possible – to stick to your standards 100% of the time?