Photo by Linus Mimietz on Unsplash
I was recently asked the question ‘Organisational values are just fluff, aren’t they?’
Sadly, many people have decided that organisational values are so much fluff.
I can understand their sentiments. Too many organisations have values that are just fluff, for three main reasons:
- Nobody, starting with their leaders, lives by them. They are just a decoration to give others the impression that they are an organisation of value, with values.
- The values have not been determined in an inclusive manner so that they are genuinely owned by all. They have instead been dreamed up by the leadership group to satisfy 1 above.
- The actual choice of values is superficial. Just obvious words like integrity, excellence, safety etc.
For values to have impact and add value to the organisation, they will be descriptors of the ideal culture.
That means they will be more than just a word. They will be short punchy statements that describe how we think speak and behave in delivering service and manifesting vision.
They will be memorable, not too many, around four that matter most, distinctive, inspirational and aligned to the desired vision.
They will be created by representatives of the whole organisation, if not all members, much easier to do nowadays with digital communications.
They will be lived, which means continuously modelled first by the entire leadership.
They will be agreed to by all employees in their employment agreements.
They will be explained in a values booklet, containing relevant examples of values in action, as well as examples of values breached, and clear consequences for both adherence and breaches.
The values require consistent attention and reviewing. Change is perpetual, people go, new people come.
Culture is a fluid human aspect that requires attention forever.
After all, culture has the most impact on an organisation’s performance and the values describe the ideal culture.
The most important aspects will be:
- inclusion in creating the values
- modelling by leadership
- values that depict the desired culture
- values that support vision and purpose achievement.
Provided the above are authentically followed, organisational values are crucial, not just fluff.
What do you think?
