Many leaders claim to be values driven, but what does that actually mean?
Leaders spend time on strategy, positioning, generating income, reputation, building brand and profile – all important. But how much time do you spend planning and implementing ways to live values you espouse?
Many leaders aren’t taught how to turn their values into lived reality. They believe just having values is enough. If you are not sure how to turn your values into practical action, read on.
Why is demonstrating values important?
In today’s strife infused world consistently demonstrating values generates trust and loyalty from colleagues, clients, service users, funders, investors, partners etc.
Aside from the “feels” this generates it could offer competitive advantage for commercial organisations and greater ability to achieve mission for non-profits.
Step 1: Define your values
When did you last sit down and assess what your values are? I use the word “assess” deliberately…
Many of us have done superficial values exercises on leadership courses, but these rarely go beyond creating a list of nice sounding words.
Your values only become apparent when tested. For example:
- Have you edited what you say to politicians or decision makers with different values for the greater good of your organisation?
- Have you stayed silent when witnessing microaggressions because you feel awkward challenging them?
- Have you avoided addressing unhelpful behaviour or poor performance in those you manage, even when you can see the impact on others?
To identify what your values really are, think of times when your values were challenged and ask yourself how you responded.
If your find your espoused values and your behaviour are misaligned, all it means is that you have a choice. Redefine your values to more closely align with your behaviours and actions, or work out practical ways to better live your values in future.
Plan for situations when your values will be tested
One way to better live your values is to identify in advance situations where your values are likely to be tested.
Are you about to downsize your organisation? Do you see persistent poor performance or behaviour? Are you about to make an unpopular decision? Do you need to innovate your business or service model? Are you navigating tensions between you and your Board?
Pick one or more situations you are about to face and map your values against them. To live your values:
- How do you need to show up? What emotions do you need to bring?
- What do you need to say (or not say)?
- What actions will you take?
- What behaviours would others need to see to know what your values are?
Living values is as much about how you do what you do as it is about your decisions and actions.
Map personal values against organisational values
When developing a new strategy, many leaders use the opportunity to redefine their organisation’s values. People get enthusiastic about choosing words that resonate with them.
What many people fail to do is think deeply enough about their organisational mission and what values are needed to drive success. People assume their personal values are synonymous with what organisational values should be. This is just not true.
The needs of the organisation and its stakeholders should always trump personal views on values.
Once defined, it is important for leaders to map their personal values against agreed organisational values. If there is a misalignment you have a choice: compromise or leave.
That might seem harsh but it’s the reality many leaders have faced, me included, particularly earlier in my leadership career.
Get into the nitty gritty
Many organisations translate organisational values into behaviour frameworks and sometimes embed these into things like performance review processes. Great. However, for most leaders and organisations, that’s where the journey ends.
To really live them, organisational values need to permeate every aspect of your organisation’s work. For example:
- How are you embedding values into your HR systems and policies?
- How are people supported and held to account for living those values?
- How do values shape the way you recruit?
- How do values shape the way you approach disciplinary and grievance processes?
- How do values shape interactions with service users and customers?
- How are you creating consistency in managers’ approach to supporting their teams?
- How are you measuring the degree to which your values are being implemented?
And finally…
Having the agency to live our values is a privilege. It’s also an opportunity. What will you do to deepen the way you live your values?
If you’d like advice on how to lead with values or how to identify the right values for your organisation, reach out at [email protected]. We’re happy to help.