Are Your Values Valuable?
“At Acme Inc. our core values are Integrity, Trust, Innovation and Community.”
That statement or something similar can be found on just about any organizational website. Most companies and individuals believe having values is important.
They say it. So it must be true…Right?
Just because a contestant on American Idol claims they can sing doesn’t mean they can. Whether in business, in ministry, or in our homes, claiming to have values does not mean I actually have values.
Do we have valuable values?
Values Are Foundational
Claiming to have values and publishing them for all to see is usually meant to set the foundation for an organization’s culture. In fact, ask any leader and you will hear most of them claim their values as the foundation their company is built upon.
I believe more damage is done when values are claimed, but then not lived by. It is like the parable in Matthew 7. Is your foundation built on rock or on sand? Values that are claimed but not lived (sand) do not stand when the storms of life or business come.
Values: The Law of Supply and Demand
The law of supply and demand states that the more demand there is for something, the more value it has. If our values are in high demand in my organization then they will have value. If something has value, people will begin to supply more of it.
It is our commitment to following, teaching and leading through our values that truly give them worth. As a leader at work, in ministry and at home putting high demand on people to work and live by the values I espouse will give them value.
Avoiding A Culture That’s Dishonest, Hypocritical or Unreliable
Values that are claimed but are not lived establish the worst culture an organization can have. If I say one thing and do another, I will likely be viewed as one of three things: Dishonest, Hypocritical, or Unreliable.
By claiming to hold values such as Integrity, Trust, Innovation and Community yet not acting on those values establishes a culture in my organization that can at best be called unreliable and at worst dishonest.
Any organization that claims one set of values but lives by another is in danger of crumbling. The members of that organization, the employees, the children, or the lay leaders may see that being dishonest, hypocritical, and unreliable as the standard mode of operation.
The Bottom Line:
Values are only valuable if:
- I define my values both in theory and in practice for those I lead.
- I think, read and train my people on our values regularly.
- I speak about our values regularly so they become part of our language.
- I train people to filter all their decisions through those values.
- I live by our values myself.
- I demand those I lead to live by them as well.
Wherever I lead, at work, at home or at church, the values I live by are more important than the values I claim.
To have a truly great culture in a great company, a strong family or a impactful ministry, I must work to be sure that the values I live by are the same as the values I claim. That is one way leaders must lead if they want a team or a family to stand for something valuable.
Question:
How do you maintain alignment between how you live and what you claim to be important at work, at home or in ministry?
Another great post. May I be so bold as to add one quick observation to your great insight? “I will likely be viewed as one of three things: Dishonest, Hypocritical, or Unreliable.” You might be able to add “or all three.”
Once we are viewed as any or all of the above our power to lead evaporates.
To answer your question of how I try and maintain alignment, I do my best to compare myself to standards that don’t change, for me that is my faith. I also do my best to surround myself with honest, candid people who respect me enough to tell me the truth.
Thanks for the insights.
Garrett,
Great point. Values that are bedrocks and stand up over time like our faith help us stay in alignment. The difference continues to be how we act and not just what we say.
Dave