Giving Voice To Values

Mary C. Gentile, Ph.D., is a prominent figure in the field of values-driven leadership and ethics, particularly known for developing the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) curriculum. Her academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary and later, a Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, both focusing on ethics and business management. Gentile’s professional career is marked by her pioneering work at Harvard Business School (HBS), where she was a faculty member from 1985 to 1995. During her tenure at HBS, Gentile not only taught ethics, management, and leadership but also co-authored and edited influential texts such as Can Ethics Be Taught: Perspectives, Challenges, and Approaches at the Harvard Business School, which examined how ethical principles can be integrated into business education.

Her experience at Harvard proved to be a cornerstone in shaping the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) approach, which she eventually developed at Babson College, where she continues to teach. GVV focuses on ethical action rather than ethical analysis and emphasizes the importance of pre-scripting and rehearsal to empower individuals to voice and act upon their values in workplace settings.