Company Values: The Starting Line, Not the Finish

Values. Every company has them. They’re often emblazoned on walls, printed on employee handbooks, and touted in recruitment materials. But here’s the thing: values, as important as they are, are only the beginning. They’re the starting line, not the finish.

Imagine, for a moment, a world where every company simply stated their values and stopped there. A world where “integrity” or “innovation” were just words on a page, with no real-world actions to back them up. It would be akin to a painter declaring their intent to create a masterpiece but never actually picking up a brush.

Values, in the absence of clear behaviors, are merely aspirations. They’re the “what” without the “how.” And in the world of business, the “how” is where the magic happens.

The Disconnect Between Values and Behavior

It’s not uncommon to see organizations that declare lofty values but act in ways that contradict them. Why does this disconnect occur? Because values, in isolation, are abstract. They’re open to interpretation, and without clear behaviors to anchor them, they can drift into the realm of ambiguity.

For instance, a company might value “collaboration.” But what does that look like in practice? Does it mean open-door policies, regular team brainstorming sessions, or perhaps a specific protocol for sharing feedback? Without clear behaviors to guide them, employees are left to guess, leading to inconsistent practices and diluted impact.

Making Values Stick: The Power of Clear Behaviors

To truly make values stick, organizations need to translate them into tangible behaviors. Here’s how:

• Define the Behavior: For every value, list out specific behaviors that exemplify it. If your value is “transparency,” a behavior might be “share weekly updates on company performance with all employees.”
• Make it Measurable: The adage “what gets measured gets managed” holds true here. For every behavior, find a way to measure it. Using our transparency example, you might track the number of weekly updates shared or survey employees on their understanding of company performance.
• Reward and Recognize: Reinforce the desired behaviors by recognizing and rewarding them. If an employee exemplifies a value through their behavior, celebrate it. This not only reinforces the behavior but also showcases it as a model for others.
• Iterate and Evolve: As the business landscape changes, so too should your behaviors. Regularly review and refine them to ensure they remain relevant and impactful.

The Ripple Effect of Clear Behaviors

When values are backed by clear behaviors, they become a powerful force for organizational change. Employees have a roadmap to follow, leaders have a benchmark to measure against, and the organization as a whole has a cohesive direction.

Moreover, clear behaviors foster a culture of accountability. When everyone knows what’s expected, there’s a shared responsibility to uphold those standards. This creates a ripple effect, where values-driven behaviors become the norm, not the exception.

The Wrap-Up

Values are the foundation, the bedrock of any organization. But they’re only the beginning. To truly make them stick, to make them a living, breathing part of your organizational fabric, they need clear behaviors.

So, the next time you walk past that values poster on the wall, ask yourself: “Do we know how to live these values every day?” If the answer is unclear, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Because in the end, it’s not about what we say, but what we do that truly defines us.