THE LAW OF IDENTITY
4. A Compass: Do you remember the television show Dallas from the 1980s? The main character was" R. Ewing, a notoriously dishonest businessman. His character code for living can be summarized by something he said in an episode of the show: "Once you give up your ethics, the rest is a piece of cake." To a person with no values, anything goes. I think we live in a time when people are searching for standards to live by. When individuals embrace strong values, they possess a moral compass that helps them make decisions. The same is true for people in an organization. When the team identifies and embraces a set of values, then in a month, a year, or a decade, no matter how much circumstances change or what kinds of challenges present themselves, people on the team still know it's moving in the right direction and make good decisions. 5. A Magnet: A team's values attract people with like values to the team. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, the Law of Magnetism states, "Who you are is who you attract." This law is as true for teams as it is for leaders. People attract like-minded people. 6. An Identity: Values define the team and give it a unique identity—to team members, potential recruits, clients, and the public. What you believe identifies who you are. The values of your organization should be unique. Your values should reflect the people on the team and their leader. What's important is that you go through the discovery process and embrace the team's values. Once you do, you will better understand your team, its mission, and its potential.
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