Vision, mission, and strategy are usually leaders’ focus. And that’s great because we are in the dark without a sense of who we are, what we are trying to achieve, and where we are going. But once we have a clear path, we must agree on how we will get there, what is crucial for us to work together, which ways are acceptable to us, and which we will try to avoid.
Why is this so important?
Values usually serve as unwritten rules (even if they are written down somewhere). Having clear values in the organization makes conflict resolution more constructive, decision-making easier and less need for written rules because the values broadcast what behavior is acceptable and what is not.
Values shape an organization’s culture, significantly impacting employee motivation, engagement, and productivity. Clear values unite and support team spirit and foster a sense of “one for all and all for one,” as they tend to attract people who share similar values. And filter out those who see things differently. It is no secret that value conflicts are the most difficult to resolve.
Values mirror the organization; they also create a specific external image, give customers or partners a clear idea of what to expect, and encourage them to choose those whose values align with their own, facilitating cooperation.
Studies show that weak or unclear cultures cost organizations worldwide billions, while the loss of a skilled employee can cost hundreds of thousands. Therefore, an organization’s culture and values significantly impact its internal climate, employee engagement, productivity, and financial performance.
However, every organization comprises people – whether it is a for-profit company, a non-profit organization, a sports team, or a family. We are all individuals, shaped by different life experiences, successes, failures, parents, friends, teachers, mentors, and the environment in which we grew up, learned, and lived. Accordingly, we have our own beliefs about how things should be and what is essential, acceptable, and unacceptable. And we bring all this diversity of values with us to where we should be working together with others towards a common goal.
So how do we reconcile this diversity of values?
✅ First, clarify values together. Take time for everyone to talk and talk things through. If possible, involve everyone or as many people as possible.
✅ Agree on what specific behavior exemplifies each of the agreed values, in other words, what each value means to us and how we will implement it. Practice shows that even if we all have a set of core values, it is likely that we may understand them differently.
✅ Integrate the values into daily activities and apply them from team selection to team-building events and traditions. Formulating the values, posting them on the walls, and publishing them on the website is just one small step. It is much more important (and arguably more difficult) to reflect them in the organization’s behavior.
✅ Set an example with your behavior. First and foremost, this is the primary responsibility of the leaders of organizations. But values are everyone’s agreement, so it is strongly recommended to regularly look in the mirror and apply values by demonstrating them.
✅ Have patience. Behavior takes time to develop, and there will likely be a lot of demonstrating, encouraging, and reminding. Still, if you keep at it, you will get results – a healthy culture and a good atmosphere usually lasts long and works wonders.
✅ Come back regularly to review to ensure we stick to what we agreed.
Values, their uniform understanding within the team, their adherence, and their actual application in everyday life are, therefore, one of the most potent weapons of the organization and a must in the artillery of every conscious leader.
Thoughts and insights from the IDEA FOXUS moderated values session.
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