How Values Shape our success
What makes our teams, leaders and workplaces valuable in terms of business success and organisational health? Spoiler alert - it has a lot to do with values.
Not just the ones that hang on staffroom walls or around our necks on lanyards. Although they are important, they are just one part of the mix.
Let's unpack that a bit.
First, there is what is often referred to as 'living the values'. This comes from understanding what a company stands for - usually found in value statements - and what they absolutely won't stand for - often found in the code of conduct.
They clarify what's expected regarding how we act as a member of the organisation. As well as shining a light on unacceptable conduct, they guide us on the best way to achieve the company vision. They shape our brand. They help us hold people accountable for poor behaviours and recognise excellence.
To be useful, people need to understand how these values play out in their everyday roles. If they are left as vague or distant concepts, they will be abandoned. And let's face it, it's not that uncommon to have lovely but purely decorative values on display.
“If we expect people to live the core values of an organisation, we have to be able to tell them what those values look like in action.”
Another form of value that contributes to the experience of the employee - and, by extension, the customer - is that they feel valued. Everyone wants to be seen, heard and recognised for the strengths and capability they bring, not as a replaceable cog in the machine, but as a human being.
And the flip side of that, and the thing that makes an organisation cohesive, even in diversity, is that we value others as human beings. People can mess up, but we treat each other respectfully. If we can't always muster kindness and compassion, we can at least remain friendly and professional.
And finally, we want to work on valuable and meaningful things. We want to stop wasting our time with the useless administrivia and do things that have a positive impact. These days, I hear from a lot of people who want to find ways to stave off the multiple distractions and worthless tasks and focus on what matters.
When we look more broadly at values, we can see how focusing on the way we work together, the way we value each other, and not wasting our precious time on things of no consequence builds the valuable workplace that people want to belong to.
How 'able' are you, your teams and your organisation to manage these three value currencies?