How can we discover a person or company’s true value system?
“BAM!” The large metal battering ram smashed down the flimsy wooden door. A swarm of camouflaged UN soldiers with bright blue helmets began to swarm into the dust-filled room.
When a haggard and tired looking man appeared from behind the tattered couch with his arms raised high in the air, everyone’s heart dropped. The sergeant immediately began to scream frantically into the young recruit’s ear, “Shoot! Shoot him now!”
The end of her rifle lit up, and her arms shook violently as a volley of bullets sprayed out of the angry metal gun. Dark red splotches appeared on the man’s chest. And the crimson blotches only grew larger as the bearded man crumpled helplessly to the ground.
Immediately, a woman and her child started to scream hysterically from the dark corner of the room. And a whole host of soldiers descended upon them and aggressively shoved them onto the cold tiled floor.
“Tie them up!” ordered the sergeant.
As the young army recruit began to hastily bind and tie up the little boy, she kept hearing him frantically yell, “Help! Help! Help! Terrorists!”
She immediately flips the boy over and stared straight into his fearful beady eyes. She yelled, “Where are they? Tell me where are the terrorists!?”
To her utter horror, he whimpered…” You are the terrorists”.
It was in that moment that her view of reality was suddenly shattered into a million pieces. Even though the organization’s mission statement of “protecting international peace, security, and justice” was scribed all over their locker rooms, embroidered onto their uniforms, and tattooed on their arms, the senseless killing, ransacking, and capturing of prisoners revealed their true identity. The elusive enemy they were relentlessly searching for can only be found in the mirror.
Many organizations, companies, and people may tout of high and lofty mission statements. However, their true values are only clearly reflected in what they actually do everyday.
