DefiningMoments




 * Book citation information **
 * Reviewed by ** : Alanna Kennedy


 * Book Author ** : Joseph L. Badaracco Jr.


 * Book Title ** : Defining Moments: When Managers Must Choose Between Right and Right


 * Publisher and Year Published ** : Harvard Business School Press (1997)


 * ISBN Number: ** 13: 978-0-87584-803-7


 * Book summary contents **
 * __Key Terms & Definitions__ **
 * **Dirty Hands -** Referring to the typical person who is able to govern and do so fairly all of the time. Named so by a play written by Jean Paul Sartre and illustrates the dilemma that ensues through governing and doing so "innocently" whereby moral values are not sacrificed.
 * **Right vs. Right Problem** - "An urgent, complicated, and sometimes painful issue of personal integrity and moral identity" (p.13).
 * **Kantian Ethics** - actions are deemed to be morally correct if they adhered to a moral law, and the intentions behind them were duty-based
 * **J.S.Mill** - British philosopher who based relied on an objective universal ethical principle for solving moral dilemmas (utilitarianism) to bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people.
 * **Mission Statement** - A credo, or set of guidelines developed by companies to direct members and leaders toward responsible decision making.
 * **"Sleep Test"** - The typical way of determining if a person has made a right decision in an ethical dilemma; If one can fall asleep after making a difficult decision, then the decision was most likely morally sound and the "right" choice.
 * **Me-ism** - Occurs where a person who is not exposed to various religious parts, more or less creates his own self-religion, not selfishness, but a personalized faith.
 * **Virtu** - The Machiavellian term for the moral code of public life. It includes facets like "vigor, confidence, imagination, shrewdness, boldness, practical skill, personal force, determination, and self-discipline" (p. 108). It is this that Badaracco argues special leaders must look to in decision making.

As the title suggests, in "Defining Moments: When Managers Must Choose Between Right and Right," Joseph Badaracco points out that often times in work dilemmas, it is not about making a wrong vs. right decision, but rather choosing between more than one possibility of which any solution can be considered "right". These types of situations can force a person to pick between moral identities or value systems, make decisions that will impact those you are responsible for, and call into question the relationships and responsibilities to oneself in relation to others. Badaracco picks several different individuals to use as case studies and then refers back to them for reference throughout the book.
 * __Executive Summary of the Author's Main Premise__ **

A lot of the book is spent trying to seperate the different interests at play - personal, family, friend, business etc. Often times, the roles that we fill throughout our lives confuse our decisions as we seek to satisfy all parties. The unfortuante part about 'right vs. right' scenarios is that it is hard if not impossible, to please everyone. Although we have the luxury of spending time understanding out decisions in hind site, this is rarely the case in the moment when people demand results from managers immediately. It is these so-called 'defining moments' that can essentially, 'make or break' us, haunting or supporting us through later life.

In introducing the philosophies of many great thinkers including Aristotle, Machiavelli, David Hume, Nietzsche, and Marcus Aurelius, we begin to see a theme emerging around balance, in occupying the multiple roles in life and defining what virtue means to the individual and the business setting. Ultimately, it is through quiet moments of self-reflection that we we ought to be making these decisions of such importance.

This book is definitely relevant to leaders of all capacities, from company CEO's to everyday people put in difficult situations trying to make the 'right' decision. People of all walks of life can relate to being put in difficult situations where the right way is not always apparent. Learning how to approach these situations and live with them is a crucial life skill. Often times we get caught up in our busy lives and fail to take the time to reflect on our decisions and their implications. Badaracco's book really outlines how important this is. Of course no book is going to be able to tell you which way is the right way, however learning how to think in a way whereby you can understand the different roles at play and spend the quiet moment of reflection so direly needed in busy everyday life made it well worth the read. Being able to model these behaviors to subordinates will help all future leaders reflect when they too are faced with a 'right vs. right' situation.
 * __Relevance to Leadership Concerns__ **

Chapter 1 introduces the leader to the phrase "dirty hands" and the so-called moral dilemmas that ensue when a person feels they have to juggle both personal and corporate values. it ponders the questions faced by many leaders in determining how they can act in a way they can also live with.
 * __Key Points from Each Chapter__ **

Chapter 2 goes through several case studies faced by different managers and their desire for "practical answers to difficult problems" (p.9). Each example is placed in a position requiring them to make a decision that calls into question different value systems and forces the person into an 'awkward middle ground'.

Chapter 3 begins by outlining the different sources leaders have to look to for reference: the mission statements and ethical guidelines of the company or organization, the legal responsibilities, and personal moral values.

Chapter 4 focuses on the above concepts of "me-ism" and "sleep-testing" to discuss the pros and cons of essentially telling business managers to "follow their ethical instincts" in right vs. right scenarios. Although these concepts are valuable, they can also be distorted and not rationalized the way they ought to be.

Chapter 5, rightly titled "Defining Moments" speaks to those points in our lives where we make pivotal decisions; looking back we have the 20/20 vision to see each implication. It is through understanding the possible implications of these decisions that we move forward. Leaders also ought to be aware of their decision making methods on subordinates, as they tend to be the un-appointed "ethics teachers".

Chapter 6 acknowledges how often times, these scenarios define us as people, who we were when we made decisions in the past, and who we will be in the future as a result of them. It is important not to view them as one event, but rather a link in a chain over the course of a person's life. Badaracco introduces the thoughts of philosophers including Nietzsche, Machiavelli, and Aritsotle in looking at a person's various responsibilities and defining the questions "what is your way?"

Chapter 7 examines how to handle defining moments when they occur at the organizational level rather than the individual. This follows with the search for a definition of truth, stagnant or malleable, but as a process.

Chapter 8 acknowledges how we occupy multiple roles in our lives, at home and at work. These roles often conflict with each other and demand different modes of thinking. Badaracco quotes Machiavelli in explaining how special leaders often must follow a different moral code than is demanded of them in their private life. Coupling this with the Aristotelian notion of virtue, a leader can be placed in a situation with the potential for tension or greatness.

Chapter 9 begins by admitting how often times, managers are expected to provide answers and act immediately, leaving little time to reflect on their decisions. In the craziness of every day life, Badaracco suggests using Marcus Aurelius as a model: finding serenity and time to reflect in the wake of a battle, searching for truth (through the acts of admirable leaders and friends), and picking the best qualities and attributes to work towards designing the best possible life. It is in this moment of quiet reflection, that the time to make a decision is a good one.

This book is definitely worth the read - it is easy to relate to, a quick and easy read, and understandable. In my own life I find it easy to get caught up in the stress of the moment. After reading the book, I understand how important it is to take that time to reflect. I see it will make me a better decision maker, and by relation, a better leader.
 * __Is the Book Worth the Read? Why or Why Not?__ **