By | Beth Miller | www.greatleadershipbydan.com
Values are more
than a list of words on your website or a poster in your office. For values to benefit an organization they need to be lived by everyone and fully integrated
into a company’s processes and decisions.
Without a focus in your values, a clear definition of each value, and
integrating your values into your hiring and performance management system, your
values will remain hollow words.
Focus
I remember many
years ago going to visit a new client. Upon entering the lobby, I couldn’t help
but notice the very large poster with a listing of company values, in fact
there were 18 of them! When we got back to his office, I asked him with
curiosity “I noticed your list of values out in the lobby. I’m curious can you
name all of your values?” The fact is that he couldn’t, and neither could his
employees.
So, if you have
more than 7 values, it’s time to bring your team together and narrow your
values down to the top 7 or less of your most important values. One technique I
recommend is from the book Traction, by Gino Wickman. Identify the 3
people in your organization you would want to clone and then start describing
the characteristics and behaviors which make them special. This will provide
you with an initial list you can narrow down.