The Silent Values Crisis in Organizations

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In a changing world, effective leadership is often anchored by managing according to values. Many companies have caught on to this concept but get it wrong. Their values become feel-good marketing and promotional buzzwords no one pays attention to.

Values shouldn't be superficial decorations that enhance the image of an organization but should be the foundation upon which successful leadership and businesses are built.

But why is this critical?

• 🗺 Explore: The Silent Values Crisis in Organizations

• ⚡️ Act: Concrete Steps: How to Manage by Values

• 🤔 Reflect: Words From a Leader Who Inspired the World

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🗺 Explore: The Silent Values Crisis in Organizations

Have you ever thought about why some leaders can inspire their teams to go above and beyond while others who are equally skilled can't get results?

The answer is often because of a leader's values and how they use them to make choices and take action.

As children, we were taught by our parents to be good people. To be honest and kind, to work hard, and respect others. These were our values. As we got older and stepped into our leadership roles, many brushed these values aside, replacing them with metrics, financial targets, and spreadsheets.

I'm not saying business goals aren't important. They are. But when they become the sole focus, we risk losing sight of our values and, with them, our sense of purpose. As a result, we become unpredictable, with the reasons behind decisions and actions not making sense or being contradictory.

And the cost is high. Employees feel lost, disengaged, and merely going through the motions. Customers sense a lack of authenticity, and their loyalty is waning. The organization, once a vibrant, purpose-driven entity, becomes a hollow shell, with what made it special fading away.

Remember Enron? Once an industry titan, it crumbled overnight, becoming a textbook case of leadership failure. Why? Because Enron's leaders lost sight of their values if they had any to begin with. What happened is a stark reminder that short-term profits should never compensate for a lack of integrity.

Now picture a world where every decision and action is guided by values. Where employees are not just cogs in a machine but part of a purpose-driven tribe. Where customers are not just sources of revenue but partners on a shared journey. This is what managing by values can achieve.

Consider Patagonia, a company that's not just profitable but also admired for its commitment to sustainability and ethical business practices. The company has shown that profitability and principled leadership can go hand in hand.

When you manage by values, you share a blueprint for employees to identify with. This builds an atmosphere of trust, engagement, shared purpose, and, ultimately, the path to success.

So, what are the values that guide you and your organization? Are they merely words on a plaque, or do they truly guide your actions? Having values isn't good enough; you have to live them.

Your leadership story starts with your values. What values will you lead with today?

⚡️ Act: Concrete Steps - How to Manage by Values

How can you, as a leader, manage by values? It's not easy, but with dedication and consistency, it's achievable.

Follow these steps:

1. Identify Your Core Values: What do you stand for? Honesty, integrity, innovation, teamwork, customer-centricity? Identify the values that resonate with you.

2. Communicate Your Values: Once you've identified your values, share them. Let your team know what you stand for and how these values will guide your decisions.

3. Model Your Values: Be the example. Your actions should reflect your values. If innovation is a value, encourage new ideas. If it's teamwork, promote collaboration.

4. Reward Value-based Actions: Recognize and reward employees who demonstrate these values. This reinforces the importance of values in your organization.

5. Evaluate Performance Based on Values: Make values a part of performance evaluations. This sends a strong signal that it's about more than just what gets done but how it gets done.

🤔 Reflect: Words From a Leader Who Inspired the World

Remember, managing by values isn't just about running an organization. It's about shaping destinies. So let's make it count.

Until next time, stay principled, stay inspired.

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