Successful Organizations Know their Values.

Earlier I recounted the story of the young businessman who did not understand the values that had made his family’s business successful.  Organizational Coach Jeannette Buller Slater says of an organization’s values, “They are deeply held convictions, priorities, and underlying assumptions that influence your attitudes and behaviors.  Core values describe the unique way people in an organization work and relate to one another.”  She continues on to say that core values are the “personality and character” of an organization.

Like in a family where core values come first from a mother or father, in business core values first come from the founder or its’ leadership.  Great organizations spend time making sure that everyone in the organization understands and demonstrated its’ values.  It is not unusual for the top values to be visually presented and frequently quoted.   Speaking on the importance of knowing ones’ values, Roy E. Disney, who was the last active family member in company that bares his name said, “It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”
          

When we “leave the nest” and venture into the “real world” people and experiences continue to shape our values.  We are impacted by professional mentors, ministers and other public speakers and life changing events.  From the professional mentor we might gain values like excellence, leadership or team-work.  A minister or speaker might influence us to be compassionate, helping others and acceptance.  A life changing event might make us value family, friendship or health.

Core values begin to form in us from an early age.  It is usually a parent that is the first depositor into our core value account.  Family psychologist Dr. James Dobson has said, “Children are not casual guests in our home. They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.”

A great example of this is a story my wife Nancy tells.  One Christmas she questioned her father on why he was giving to the poor when their own family had unmet needs.  Her father responded, “Because there are people who are worse off than we are.”  That simple interchange produced a core value in her of sacrificial giving.

In our early years teachers and coaches can also influence or core values.  I remember my high school civics teacher, Mr. Sokol.  He would walk around the classroom asking students questions about the prior evening homework assignment.  When we did not have a ready answer he would way, “Something for nothing.  You can’t get something for nothing.”  His daily recitation instilled in his students the value of the importance of learning. 

In its “Guidelines for Developing Personal Core Values” the GPS Life Journey curriculum makes these three initial observations:

1. Your core values are the most important beliefs that you hold.  These are the things that you value most.  They demonstrate the core or center of what you believe.
2. Your core values direct your behavior. You behave a certain way because you believe certain things.
3. Your core values help you make right decisions. You decide to do or not do certain things based on your values.

 

To Succeed
You Need to Know
Your Core Values

I was speaking to a young business man who was in training to become the third generation to lead his family’s business.  I told him, “You have a great heritage to continue.  All you have to do is to keep doing good for people.” However, his blank expression concerned me.  It was as though a “Vacancy” sign lit up in effect saying “I do not know the core values that have made the organization successful for two generations.” I realized that without this understanding, it was unlikely that the organization could prosper under his leadership.

In order to be successful as individuals, families and organizations, we need to understand our core values.  Core values are essentially the ethics that we live by.  They are principles, standards, or qualities we consider worthwhile and desirable.  They dictate our behavior and help us get and stay motivated.