Collaboration@Work
by Stavros Messinis
On Values
B
ut for many modern organizations, value statements have become real business drivers that help companies stand out in a crowded market. Has your organization defined a core set of values? Values that will guide your team along the right path as they execute your vision toward success? Have you written them down or defined them with your team? It’s a simple task with fantastic results and you’d be surprised how it can rally your team around the overall mission. It is proven that people are better motivated by mission rather than money. We live in an ethical vacuum. Values set the ethical tone of an organization. In today’s crisis engulfed world, it’s easy to descend into the ethical vacuum that has transpired. Business is tough, competition is fierce, and bending the rules can be tempting in the fight for survival. Can your organization define standards and set the rules? Having a defined set of values that will steer you through times of crisis or, in times of abundance, can keep you humble, will ensure that you prevail overall while doing good, leaving something behind. Make it part of your core culture and your stakeholders will love you for it. What values statements are: They govern personal relationships, guide our business processes, define who we are and what we stand for. They help explain why we do business the way we do, they guide us in
20 | BUSINESS PARTNERS | MAY-JUNE 2013
making decisions and likely underpin the whole organization. What value statements are not: They’re not operating practices nor business strategies but having them defined is strategic. They’re not cultural norms nor are they core competencies, they don’t change in response to the market and they are not used individually but are a set of principles to be exercised as a whole.
Values govern personal relationships, guide our business processes, define who we are and what we stand for Be genuine. Dont just have them, live them. How to define them: Include everyone, even suppliers and some close customers. Send an email asking for five values you should consider including. Overall you should not have too many. Define less than 10 so that everyone will remember them easily and embrace them. Once they’re defined: Communicate them to all stakeholders—leadership, staff, suppliers, customers. Indicate that you expect
I hear groans and I see you rolling your eyes! We may think that corporate value statements are simply vague, touchy-feely statements that sound nice but bear little relation to the way business is done.
them all to subscribe to these values if they value their relationship with you. Here’s an example of five values from an exercise I was recently involved in. 1. Honesty and Integrity Maintaining the highest ethical standards. Being open and transparent in all processes. Respecting the resources assigned to us. Being honest and thereby inspiring trust. Doing what we say and saying what we mean, matching our behaviors to our words and taking responsibility for our actions. 2. Commitment to Community Giving back. Being committed to doing good overall. Acting in an open and inclusive manner that embraces all players in our community. Nurturing and inspiring nascent communities with our actions. 3. Humility Valuing the strengths, experiences, and perspectives of others while recognizing our own limitations. Being committed to partnering effectively with local communities to ensure that our work advances the broader good for all. 4. Respectfulness Placing value in individuals. Respecting people for who they are and the value they bring. Embracing diversity and each individual’s unique contribution. Fostering a trusting environment that treats each person in a way that reflects our values. 5. Stewardship Working towards building a better and stronger company. Developing and protecting the brand and our associated brands.