Continuing the subject of values, let’s talk about how they drive an organization.

Your values are the beliefs and attitudes about life that help guide you and define your organization’s culture. We base our decision-making process on these values, which in turn direct many facets of your organization.

They serve as guideposts for handling the challenges facing our organization and in setting expectations for:

• Our employees
• Our clients
• Our vendors
• Even ourselves

Values in Business

Organizations without values are organizations without value.

Values are indispensable in setting up the hiring process and evaluating current employees.

When we interview for a position, these values focus our questions to explore how well this individual is aligned with our culture. When probing a potential hire, we may:

• Ask them to explain what a value means to them.
• Ask about the importance of a particular value
• Ask how they have demonstrated these values in a work setting
• Ask how they demonstrate these values in their daily life.

These same values continue past the hiring process and serve as a measurement of the performance of your employees.

Conflicts and Resolutions

Conflict is inevitable. Catastrophe is not.

Colleagues who share a culture and agree on fundamental values will be more willing to sacrifice and compromise for the organization’s vision. This system of shared values will:

• Enhance teamwork and collaboration
• Encourage productive problem-solving
• Inspire perseverance
• Foster mutual goodwill

Without a shared system of values, we will be inclined to put off challenges or attempt a ‘brute force’ resolution that often has cascading consequences.

Careful cultivation of values and culture provides us a clear path towards constructive resolutions and effective conflict management.

Innovation and Change

Shift your foundation and watch the whole building collapse.

As we’ve covered, our values govern every major decision in building and maintaining our organization.

With so much resting upon them, only a fool would contemplate change without them in mind.

Our values set the stage for how we adapt to challenges and make changes in our organization. They serve as a beacon to inspire innovation as well as a guardrail to guide us away from disastrous decisions.

Remember:

No solution that compromises your values is ever worthwhile.

Every compromise damages your colleague’s faith in your organization and its culture.

Upholding your organization’s values is the paramount consideration of adapting any new approach.

More than a Memo

Passion ignites passion.

Your organization’s commitment to its values will reflect your own.

If you demonstrate these values in your interactions and decisions, your colleagues will follow suit.

Remember, a leader is a flame.

→Either they ignite those around them,

Inspiring commitment, passion, and purpose.

→Or they fade.

They touch nothing.

They light nothing.

They leave only darkness

You are responsible for bringing these values alive inside your organization. No leader can delegate this task to someone else.

You can never demand more commitment than you demonstrate.

 Complete this Exercise:

1. How are you using your core values to drive the culture in your organization? (List at least 3)
2. What could you put in place right now that would increase the level of awareness of the core values in your organization?
3. Write an action statement that shows an example of how your core values are being carried out on a day-to-day basis in your organization.