Though Alan is single, it’s clear that family is important to him. A devoted son and cousin, he loves children and entertains thoughts of fatherhood. The best way to honor his mother’s wishes would be to raise his future children—her grandchildren—with a good value system. Therefore, the overriding questions he should ask himself are these: Where do I see myself in 10 years, when I have a family of my own? How will I teach my kids about making a connection between values and work? From this perspective, it seems that any of his career options will work very well—as long as he brings his values into the workplace.
Alan should also weigh each of his job options on a five-point scale—money, fame, power, personal values, and quality of life. By this measure, working in Shiori’s social enterprise organization might well score high on personal values and quality of life. Working as a senior manager at Grepter would score very high on power; would undoubtedly reward Alan with a fine salary, bonuses, and stock; and—if he persuaded his company to provide free medicine for the poor—would also score high on personal values. Furthermore, if he’s thinking about his future family and quality of life, the chance to raise his children in Zurich—a safe, clean, cosmopolitan city where they could learn to speak multiple languages—might tempt him, too.
A person who puts a high premium on doing good in the world might think that joining Karl at LSM Investments would be the worst possible choice, because he or she might assume that making money is the only real driver. Certainly, if Alan were a hedge fund manager who flew around the world on a private jet and saw his kids two weeks a year, they would probably judge him negatively. But he could choose to use his position at LSM to support his personal values and his quality of life. If he lived modestly, tried to get the fund to invest in socially valuable projects, set an example of philanthropic priorities, and made sure to spend a lot of time with his children, they would judge him differently.
Having imagined himself in the future and considered the various positions according to this five-point scale, Alan can begin to weigh the benefits against the possible risks, both personally and professionally. For instance, living in California or Zurich might make him feel too distant from his beloved cousins: a negative for quality of life. As he weighs these considerations, however, he should rely not on hearsay and hunches but, rather, on a clearheaded, objective investigation of the facts. For example, is there a basis for believing that the CEO will really follow through on his promise? Or would Alan find himself too far away from the corporate epicenter if he worked in Zurich, and thus be passed over for a more advantageous position? To find out, he should look at the career paths of other managers at Grepter. And has the company demonstrated any interest in supporting or expanding his social agenda?
Alan should rely on a clearheaded, objective investigation of the facts. For example, is there a basis for believing that the CEO will really follow through on his promise?
As for the hedge fund, he should look at the makeup of the board. Does he share the vision of its members? What is the long-term plan? The same goes for Shiori’s company.
Once Alan has evaluated his options this way, his choice will be clearer. But regardless of the choice he makes, he should remember that many paths lead to the same place. It’s really a matter of approach—bringing your values to work.