Reflection on Necessity of Values: Opinion Essay

Values are the universal concept and one of the most important concept to guide somebody’s behaviour which is socially acceptable and enforceable. If I discuss about the set of values that I have, then I strongly feel that it has to be honesty and respect towards one other. These two values define my ethical standard, and this set of values also reflect in my work and in my personal life. If I say how this set of values has shaped my principles. Because, these are my two major values which has laid the foundation of my principles. In every personal and professional dealing, I value my principles over my privileges. So, I always remain honest and respectful to the other person. Because it is very important to respect your elders and also one other in any relationship and professional dealing. And honesty is the valuable virtue because, it will never get wasted. And I am a kind of person who also believes that actions are louder than words. So, my values and principles are completely harmonised with my actions. Honesty and respect are some of my daily practices. But, there have been many situations in my life where my values have been challenged. If I try to remember one situation, then it has to be informing my best friend’s wife about his extra-marital affair. Even though it was not acceptable to betray your best friend because revealing your best friend secrets is morally not acceptable. But, the situation here was very complicated and critical. Because if I tell my best friend’s wife about his extra-marital affair, then it will spoil his marriage life and will also be the end of our friendship. And if I don’t tell his wife then, it will go against my basic value of honesty and will hurt me every single day and also its my moral responsibility to reveal her the truth of her relationship. Both, the situations were equally bad for me, but, I anyway decided to go with the former option i.e. informing my friend’s wife about his relationship outside wedlock. This option is still better to live with because it is harmonised with my basic values and harmonised values, principles and action are a great example of integrity. That was one of the incident related to my personal/private life. If I recall any of the work experience, where my basic values have been challenged. One of that situation was, when I had to be brutally honest about the professional performance of one of my colleague. He was not performing as per the standards of the company plus his approach towards work was not very professional. I even tried to explain the situation to him, but, somehow he bailed on me. It is very much understood that his under performance will impact the company in a long run which might seem very small at present. So, I had submitted the true feedback of his performance in the employee’s feedback chart, which has definitely impacted him.

It is very important to have set of values. But, what is more important is to stand by them always and to have harmony in your values, principles and actions. But, it is also very important for any human being is to be a good judge of any particular situation.