How to Build an Organisation Based on Values
“Our people are our most important asset.” You’ve heard these words many times if you work in an organisation. Yet how many organisations act as if they believe these words are true? Not many. These words are the clear expression of a value, and values are visible through the actions people take, not their talk. People judge their organisation’s sincerity when they see senior managers walk their talk. Nothing else matters. Seriously.
Values form the foundation for everything that happens in your workplace. If you are the founder of an organisation, your values permeate the workplace. You naturally hire people who share your values. Whatever you value, will largely govern the actions of your workforce.
Organisational Values and the Strategic Framework
Want the background about why values are important in an organisation? See the impact that identifying organisational values can have. Values are traits or qualities that are considered worthwhile; they represent an individual’s highest priorities and deeply held driving forces.
Vision and Organisational Values
Vision is a statement about what the organisation wants to become. The vision should resonate with all members of the organisation and help them feel proud, excited, and part of something much bigger than themselves. A vision should stretch the organisation’s capabilities and image of itself. It gives shape and direction to the organisation’s future.
Mission/Purpose and Organisational Values
Mission/Purpose is a precise description of what an organisation does. It should describe the business the organisation is in. It is a definition of “why” the organisation exists currently. Each member of an organisation should be able to verbally express this mission. Strategies are broadly defined as four or five key approaches the organisation will use to accomplish its mission and drive toward the vision. Goals and action plans usually flow from each strategy.
Strategy and Organisational Values
One example of a strategy is employee empowerment and teams. Another is to pursue a new worldwide market in Asia. Another is to streamline your current distribution system using lean management principles. I recommend that you start developing this strategic framework by identifying your organisation’s values. Create an opportunity for as many people as possible to participate in this process. All the rest of your strategic framework should grow from living these.
What Values Are
The following are examples of values. You might use these as the starting point for discussing values within your organisation:
- ambition
- competency
- individuality
- equality
- integrity
- service
- responsibility
- accuracy
- respect
- dedication
- diversity
- improvement
- enjoyment/fun
- loyalty
- credibility
- honesty
- innovativeness
- teamwork
- excellence
- accountability + more.
Identifying and Establishing Values
Effective organisations identify and develop a clear, concise, and shared meaning of values/beliefs, priorities, and direction so that everyone understands and can contribute to their accomplishment. Once defined, values impact every aspect of your organisation.
You must support and nurture this impact or identifying values will have been a wasted exercise. People will feel fooled and misled unless they see the impact of the exercise within your organisation. If you want the values you identify to have an impact, the following must occur.
- People demonstrate and model the values in action in their work behaviours, decision-making, contribution, and interpersonal interaction.
- Organisational values help each person establish priorities in their daily work life.
- Values guide every decision that is made once the organisation has cooperatively created the values and the value statements.
- Rewards and recognition within the organisation are structured to recognize those people whose work embodies the values the organisation embraced.
- Organisational goals are grounded in the identified values.
- Adoption of the values and the behaviours that result is recognized in regular performance feedback.
- People hire and promote individuals whose outlook and actions are congruent with their values.
- Only the active participation of all members of the organisation will ensure a truly organisation-wide, value-based, shared culture