Embedding the values

Culture change, new values, an altered direction, an adjustment in strategy - several of my clients are developing, implementing and reinforcing new (or refreshed) organisational values.

Yep, it happens.

Each of these businesses wants their leaders, teams, groups and people to 'get' these values fairly quickly and get on with making the business great!

Hurry up will you!

It can be a slow process but never forget to keep helping your people 'see' what the values look like day-to-day.

I encourage businesses to embed the desired behaviors into lots of other things, events, happenings and processes.

Take the strategy or team day when you're planning out the year ahead, what you'll achieve and how you'll achieve it...
Embed the values in that day, that event.

Don't just put the words on a PowerPoint slide, pleeeease! That isn't embedding anything ... except boredom!
Run the team day in line with values.

If Honesty is a value, speak honestly during that team day. Allow honesty. Reward and encourage it.

If Safety is a value, embed that into the day. Fellow Safety principles at every turn, at every stage of the day.

It's not fair to think that an organisation (made up of humans) will instantly start behaving in new ways because some new words have been emailed around.

Create environments that demonstrate what you mean.
Reinforce them in daily activities and events.
Ensure you explain which values are on display where and when.
Help your people understand what it means, what it looks like, what it's not and why it's there.

There's probably one of your values that aligns to that sort of communication, openness, transparency, support, encouragement...