Organizational Values

Core values result from looking inward. You can’t benchmark them. You can’t bypass debate or hire a PR firm to craft them.

Your business strategies shift; your organization’s values should not. They guide employee actions and influence business practices. They help provide meaning for employees searching for an emotional connection to work each day. Also known as ground rules or operating principles, at their best values are actionable guidelines, not to be confused with abstract beliefs that are merely “held” or posted on a plaque.

It’s not easy to integrate a commitment to organizational values with a laser-like focus on business results. Remarkable organizations manage to do both. Their leaders model the values and repeatedly translate the values’ abstract concepts into tangible examples of decisions and behavior. They monitor how well their business practices align with their values. Their employees use values to guide their initiative and actions.