Does your organization have values? I mean written, published, communicated values. Ones that extend beyond the mission statement and goals. General Electric professes the values of: curious, passionate, resourceful, accountable, teamwork, committed, open, energizing. Each is linked to one of four actions: imagine, solve, build, lead.
If you’re in the business of making money for shareholders (public), carrying out the mission of the owners (private) or serving the agenda of elected officials (public service/government), why does the leader of your organization have to communicate values? After all, your goals, promotions, even incentive pay, are based on results, right?
Values As Marketing
“The Best Food In Town” , “We’re the dealer you can trust” , “Employees are our greatest asset”. If you have to use basic tenets of your industry or restate a simple customer expectation as a ‘value’, you’re way off track. Have you ever eaten at a restaurant because they their values include “serving a good meal”? Hmmm…no. Values such as Integrity, Trust and other platitudes are what you and your people should be showing up with every single day - and not need a poster, wallet card or inspiring leadership speech to remember.
Values As Camouflage
Enron’s values (2001) were:
Communication
We have an obligation to communicate. Here, we take the time to talk with one another… and to listen. We believe that information is meant to move and that information moves people.
Respect
We treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves. We do not tolerate abusive or disrespectful treatment.
Integrity
We work with customers and prospects openly, honestly and sincerely. When we say we will do something, we will do it; when we say we cannot or will not do something, then we won’t do it.
Excellence
We are satisfied with nothing less than the very best in everything we do. We will continue to raise the bar for everyone. The great fun here will be for all of us to discover just how good we can really be.
I bet they had slick brochures, printed wallet-sized cards for every employee, and posters in every hallway. Visible on the outside. Did anyone internalize these values? Was this part of any performance management plan?
Values As DNA
“…a good mission statement and a good set of values are so real they smack you in the face with their concreteness.”
“Clarity around values and behaviors is not much good unless it is backed up. To make values really mean something, companies have to reward the people who exhibit them and “punish” those who don’t.”
- Winning by Jack and Suzy Welch
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Unless you want to have a bunch of faded posters on your office walls that are the butt of several jokes, make the values real. As a leader, exemplify them. As an member of your organization, talk about them every chance you get. Make the values part of how you hire, fire, promote, and reward employees. Instill it in every part of the organization and in every action. If people don’t follow the values, call them on it. If you as a leader let values slide, what do you expect your staff and the rest of the organization to do?
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What are the values that guide your organization? Are they marketing, camouflage, or DNA?
Joe Raasch :: Jul.20.2008 ::
Employee Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Development, Performance Management ::
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