The Three Lenses 

How to See Clearly, Decide Wisely, and Live with Integrity

by Marc Andonian, PhD

Why Good People Make Decisions They Later Regret

Every day, well-intentioned leaders, parents, and professionals face impossible choices. Support the struggling employee or meet quarterly targets? Enforce family rules fairly or respond to individual needs? Pursue innovation or maintain stability?

We've been taught these are either/or decisions.

But what if they're not?

Most of the conflicts we face aren't between right and wrong—they're between competing goods. When we're forced to choose between dignity and results, relationships and principles, individual needs and collective welfare, somebody always loses.

The hidden cost? When we consistently sacrifice one type of value for another, we create the very problems we're trying to solve:

• Organizations that achieve financial success but lose their best people

• Families that maintain harmony but stifle individual growth

• Leaders who deliver results but compromise their integrity

• Communities that preserve traditions but resist necessary change

What if there was a better way?

Introducing The Three Lenses: A Revolutionary Framework for Integrated Decision-Making

Based on Nobel Prize-nominated philosopher Robert S. Hartman's science of value, The Three Lenses framework reveals that every decision involves three dimensions of human worth—and that the most effective solutions honor all three simultaneously.

🔍 The Intrinsic Lens: Dignity of Persons

How does this decision affect people as unique, irreplaceable individuals?

This lens ensures you never lose sight of the human dignity at stake in every choice. When leaders at Southwest Airlines faced post-9/11 pressures, they used this lens to avoid layoffs while competitors cut thousands of jobs—ultimately positioning them for faster recovery and stronger loyalty.

The Transformation: You make decisions that honor people's inherent worth, building trust and sustainable relationships that become competitive advantages.

⚙️ The Extrinsic Lens: Results and Performance

What meaningful outcomes do we need to achieve?

This lens keeps you focused on delivering real value and measurable impact. It's about achieving excellence, developing capabilities, and creating outcomes that truly matter—not just hitting arbitrary metrics.

The Transformation: You maintain sharp focus on results while understanding how those results connect to human flourishing and principled action.

📋 The Systemic Lens: Fairness and Principles

How does this align with our values, rules, and sense of justice?

This lens examines consistency, ethics, and adherence to principles that serve the common good. It asks whether your decision upholds fairness and operates within appropriate systems.

The Transformation: You ensure coherence between your values and actions, building organizational integrity and personal authenticity.

The Power of Trinocular Vision

When you learn to see through all three lenses simultaneously—what Dr. Andonian calls "trinocular vision"—something remarkable happens: False choices reveal themselves as opportunities for creative integration. You discover solutions that seemed impossible from single-lens perspectives.

About Marc Andonian, Ph.D.

Dr. Marc Andonian is Managing Partner of Meaningful Metrics, LLC, and a leading authority on applying formal axiology—the science of value—to real-world leadership challenges. With decades of experience in strategic consulting and coaching, he has helped executives, organizations, and families integrate dignity, results, and principles in their most critical decisions.

Background:

• Ph.D. extensive training in formal axiology through the Hartman Institute

• Certified provider of the Hartman Value Profile

• Strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations

• Executive coach specializing in values-based leadership

• Speaker at conferences on ethics, leadership, and organizational development

Personal Mission:

"I believe our most important decisions should honor the full spectrum of human value. The Three Lenses framework emerged from years of watching brilliant people make choices they later regretted—not because they lacked intelligence or information, but because they lacked a systematic way to see the complete picture."

Special Offer for Readers:

As a reader of The Three Lenses, Dr. Andonian offers access to the Hartman Value Profile assessment and personalized debrief at a significantly reduced cost. Visit: www.meaningfulmetrics.com/bookoffer

Contact for Speaking/Consulting:info@meaningfulmetrics.com

What You'll Learn/Table of Contents Preview

Inside The Three Lenses, You'll Discover:

PART I: SEE CLEARLY - Developing Trinocular Vision

• The fascinating story of Robert S. Hartman and his escape from Nazi Germany

• How the three dimensions of value shape every decision you make

• Why your brain defaults to single-lens thinking and how to expand your perception

• The Integrity Gap: Why good people often act against their stated values

PART II: DECIDE WISELY - Transforming Choices Through Integration

• The WISDOM Framework for navigating value conflicts

• How to turn either/or dilemmas into both/and opportunities

• Building organizations where dignity, results, and principles reinforce each other

• The three-lens approach to relationships, parenting, and conflict resolution

PART III: LIVE WITH INTEGRITY - Creating Lasting Alignment

• The ALIGN Process for closing personal integrity gaps

• The Lens Check: A practical decision-making tool you can use immediately

• The power of wondering questions to open new possibilities

• The Trinocular Alignment Map for testing life and organizational coherence

PART IV: CREATE LASTING IMPACT - From Personal Integration to Collective Transformation

• How to design a legacy that reflects integrated values

• The vision of a world transformed by trinocular thinking

• Your role in healing our fragmented society

Practical Tools You'll Master:

• The Three-Lens Check for better daily decisions

• The BRIDGE Framework for organizational transformation

• The HEAL Framework for navigating loss and crisis

• The LENS Framework for supporting others through challenges

• Wondering Questions that deepen relationships and unlock creativity

Go to Expanded Table of Contents

The Three Lenses, How do See Clearly, Decide Wisely, and Live with Integrity is Perfect For:

🎯 Leaders Who Refuse to Choose Between Success and Soul

Executive teams, managers, and entrepreneurs who want to achieve excellent results while maintaining their humanity and principles

🏠 Parents Raising Whole Children

Families seeking to honor individual uniqueness while teaching responsibility and maintaining fair boundaries

💼 Professionals Seeking Alignment

Consultants, coaches, therapists, and advisors who want frameworks for helping clients integrate competing values and priorities

🏛️ Civic and Community Leaders

Board members, nonprofit leaders, and community organizers working to bridge divides while addressing real challenges

🤝 Anyone Feeling Fragmented

Individuals tired of compartmentalizing their lives and ready to discover how authenticity, effectiveness, and integrity can work together

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)