If someone stopped you in the company elevator en route to an interview and inquired about your organization’s core values what would you say? Would you be able to cite your mission or corporate value structure? What if they asked you to give examples of those values in action?
Most of us believe that values are important and we can usually point to a value statement or mission statement on the website. Some organizations go even further by defining corporate culture. But, unfortunately for some companies, this is where the emphasis on values stops.
A value is defined as a guiding principle or standard of behavior; one’s judgement of what is important. A value is not just a belief or principle. First, it is the standard or filter for behavior. It is the guiding force behind how we operate, how we do what we do. Without the behavior, the value has no value. Secondly, the value must not only be important, it must be important enough to be lived. A value is the leader of behavior not the stepchild.
Great organizations not only define the principles or standards deemed important they also define the behaviors that make those principles come to life. The words that define the principles are in and of themselves useless. The true value of values is when they are linked to a definable behavior; an action. Integrity and trust as words are meaningless. But when you do what you say, integrity becomes an action and your values take life.
We believe that great organizations are ones that are so steeped in living their values that they make it impossible for anyone in the organization to veer from those values. They succeed by creating an organizational environment where only desired behaviors can occur. Failure is not an option.
The result is a high performance culture with a set of beliefs and actions where values are valuable.
Want to take your organization to another level? Remember VMOV. Visible Manifestation of Values.
Create an environment where values are exemplified by everyone from top to bottom.
