Article by Paul Schulls, Alex Mazurek
Let’s Keep It Real: values are among the most foundational elements of a team or organization.
By selecting, applying, and upholding a consistent set of values, we ensure that those values are reflected in all that you do. They provide a solid frame of reference for decisions and behaviors.
At BLU, we’ve developed 10 tips to help you bring your values to life within your organization.
1. Make sure the values are collectively selected by the team.
Ensuring that your team collectively decides on your values means that those values will see company buy-in right from the start.
2. Make values visual in the workplace.
Making your values visual can mean posting them on walls, listing them in the BREAKTHRU app, speaking to them in company newsletters or other communication methods, etc. Anything that keeps your values in the minds of your team members will do wonders towards bringing those values to life.
3. Speak about your values often.
You can speak about your values in recurring meetings, or occasionally have participants speak to company values being emulated in or outside the workplace. You could even make it a recurring agenda item. By speaking to your values often, you’re not just ensuring that they’re at the forefront of your team members’ minds. You’re also practicing those values by applying them in real time. This continued practice will only strengthen your team’s connection to those values.
4. Speak to your values within your marketing.
When you speak to your values within your marketing to new or existing customers, you’re selling your values as a part of your product or service, literally including them as a benefit. The aim is to attract customers who share your values, as this will make you more desirable. Additionally, by engaging with others who share your values, you and your team will be further incentivized to live out those values every day.
5. Speak to your values during interviews and hire to them.
As your team grows and expands, it’s important to ensure that new hires align with you and your organization’s values. At BLU, we recommend utilizing Talent Assessment Tools to aid in determining if a potential team member would be a good fit for your organization.
6. Build values into your onboarding process.
Employees are most impressionable when they’re first joining an organization. Including your values heavily in this stage of the process will engrain them into your new hires and ensure long-term buy-in on those values.
7. Create a “Pat on the Back” award for staff to award each other.
Encourage your team members to give each other some type of recognition when they notice each other emulating a value. This is a great way to further embed values into the culture of an organization.
8. Tie values to your performance appraisal process.
An excellent way to ensure values don’t fade over time is to evaluate adherence to values as an element of your performance appraisal process. Doing so will encourage team members to stick closely to your chosen values in the long-term.
9. Focus interpersonal situation resolution on your values.
Conflict is inevitable within your organization. After all, we’re only human. When you apply your values to an interpersonal situation, you create an objective metric by which you can assess the conflict and make decisions about how to avoid such conflict in the future.
10. Revisit your values as a part of your annual planning process to ensure relevancy.
When the time comes to make your strategic plan for the upcoming year, evaluate whether your values still serve you well, whether you and your team still agree on those values, or whether it may be time to alter your chosen values to improve relevancy. While you shouldn’t change your values often, don’t be afraid to put a critical eye on your values, especially early on in the development of your team, company, or organization.
Values are a critical part of the BLU Growthpath Operating System. They represent the foundation upon which your organization will grow. Maintaining adherence to your selected values will create consistency across your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly activities.
