Bottom Line, What Are YOUR Values Driving?

In a recent well-aimed post, my friend Kris Dunn (the HR Capitalist) laid bare some disquieting truths about corporate values, which ought to prompt some soul searching on all our parts.

Are we clear - really clear - about the kinds of behaviors, mindsets and outcomes we are driving with some of our corporate value-setting efforts?

From Kris's post, where he tees up the cliff notes for an upcoming presentation on values:

-Companies are very consistent in the corporate values they create.  Nice.  All good so far.

-Companies always create collateral around the values.  Hand out the cards, put up the posters.  Still good.

-Broad cross sections of employees, when asked, say they want the values in question.  Good - they're falling in line - they love us.

-Uh-Oh.  When asked, managers want value sets that are dramatically different than what companies are providing.  It seems like since they're accountable for results, they want values that reflect behaviors they believe help them get business results.  They're selfish like that...

-Uh-Oh #2.  When asked, employees identified as high performers want value sets that are dramatically different than what companies are providing.  Shocker - the high performers want values that place a premium on having talent and competing.

I don't mean to speak against corporate values here.  A well-chosen, purposefully lived set of core values can be the moral backbone of an organization and provide a strong set of internal controls.  As long as Integrity, Collaboration and Respect don't slip into practice as Entitlement, Conflict Avoidance and ... Niceness. 

Which brings to mind one of my favorite quotes.  From Malcolm Gladwell:

It [is] the practice of niceness that [helps] keep other values, such as fairness, at bay.  Fairness sometimes requires that surfaces be disturbed, that patterns of cordiality be broken, and that people rudely or abruptly be removed from their place.  Niceness is the enemy of fairness.

The thing is, innovation, disruptive advancements and superior business performance also can require that surfaces be disturbed, that patterns of cordiality be broken, and that people who are making obstacles of themselves be dealt with.  I've encountered more than one organization - and I'm betting you have too - where managers struggle to do this in the face of an overwhelming culture of value-driven Nice.  Which, to Gladwell's point, isn't fair.  Or ultimately productive.

So many aspects of people management require a delicate balancing act.  Could it be that some of our efforts to create and instill corporate values demand a more careful sense of balance as well?

Image: www.marshill.org

Comments

[Derek Irvine, Globoforce]

Brilliant, Ann. And quite true. Especially like this statement: "A well-chosen, purposefully lived set of core values can be the moral backbone of an organization and provide a strong set of internal controls."

That is quite true. Of course, employees' personal values must also be in agreement with those company core values. Some direct intervention can occur by recognizing and rewarding employees who demonstrate those core values -- and retraining (at best) or reprimanding (necessary but too often avoided) those who do not.

[Ann Bares]

Derek:

Agreed! Employee and company values must be in alignment ... AND they must support BOTH parties' long term success. Which - I think - can be a more careful balancing act than we give it credit for.

Thanks for the comment!