OMG, Not Core Values Again!
Is the core values conversation approaching the tipping point on your “give a s**t meter?” Fair enough; let’s talk about a new aspect of them. Three things about core values you may not have considered:
Organizations do not have core values; people do.
Core values organize your thinking, and they stall your growth.
Most of your upsets are a function of real or perceived core value violations.
Let’s take these one at a time.
Organizational Core Values:
Core values start to form very early in life, circa pre-school, and then evolve. They are very personal to us and become so much a part of the way we see the world, we don’t think of them as values but as how the world “should be.”
Founders bring their core values into their organizations; however, they are a reflection of the founder, not the company. These values typically wane as the organization grows, i.e. Nordstrom. John Nordstrom, when he founded his department store, was adamant about superior attentiveness to customers. As a loyal customer for over three decades, that focus seems to have faded since his passing.
Core values are an ingrained, evolved part of us, formed from very early experiences, not something we can simply declare and pass on to an extensive network of businesses.
Core Values Shape Thinking:
Core values are fundamental. They shape our view of the world, our beliefs and consequently our behavior. They are the moral compass that guides us through life but also a platform from which our judgments and opinions arise.
Since we pay little conscious attention to them, we do not notice how much they shape our thinking. If we did, we would have more access to the “light side” (positive aspects of our core values) and greater ability to stay out of the “dark side” (negativity associated with judgments and opinions). We get far more profitable thinking from light than we do from dark.
Core Value Violations Create Upsets:
If I feel like a core value has been violated, I will be upset, either at myself or another, depending on who I perceive as the violator. Without a conscious awareness of my core values and how they operate me, violations – real or perceived – let my emotional self take the helm from my intellectual self. This commonly leads to unproductive behavior and can compromise leadership strengths.
There is a simple solution, an accelerator to higher performance. Let your core values become a conscious tool – your guidance system for being true to yourself.
Leadership growth is more an internal than external education. When I am upset, the source can almost always be traced back to a core value. To bring these values into a domain of consciousness and usefulness demands raising our awareness of what is happening within.
Think of a time you were upset. Instead of assigning the cause to something external, look to see what value was violated. Conversely, what is a “happy place” for you, and what value is nurtured there? Do you see the advantage of hearing other people's core values behind their words? If you were fluent in recognizing core values in others as well as yourself, it could help you identify which organizational roles your people’s values would be most suited for.
When I start talking about core values, listeners respond, “Hmmm, I wonder what mine are?” To answer that…
Beyond these three aspects of core values, there is another that is the biggest difference-maker. Most of us realize that we present, in many ways, a facade of ourselves to the world, and aspire to become our true self. When I understand my core values, I can register if I am being true or not.
~ Craig
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Fundamental of the Week #3: SPEAK STRAIGHT RESPECTFULLY
Speak honestly and clearly to move the action forward. Ask questions for clarity, share ideas and be willing to raise issues when necessary for success or to maintain collaboration. Always go directly to the person accountable for the issue and take responsibility for getting your message across.
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