The problem with values
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Organisation values- worth their while?
Values are good things right? They drive, they motivate, they align us to do the right thing… right? Do they? Do they really?
When we really think about this, when we really strip it back to the studs, it’s quite an extraordinary claim; that every (or even most) employee in this organisation looks at the glossy posters on the wall, and BELIEVES. Internalises. Rearranges their thinking. Takes the words and the concept, to their heart and changes accordingly. That’s a big claim, so it merits the question- is it true?
Read here for how people push back on values during restructures.
The universality of values
Your organisation may have values, it may not. If you don’t, you might be thinking that you should. The good news is this: Every organisation has the same values. They are:
Teamwork – Collaborate, communicate, and support one another.
Excellence – Strive for high-quality results and continuous improvement.
Respect – Value others and treat people fairly.
Integrity – Do the right thing and act honestly.
I know what you’re thinking; ours are different, ours are unique, we actually workshopped ours to make sure they are really really genuine. Sure. But so did many over organisations, and they came up with exactly the same premises, only different wording. But here’s a test- if you took your organisation values, and the above values, and conducted ‘a blind taste test’ on a random employee, could they tell the difference?
Read here for how a critical discussion of how we approach wellbeing.
You only need to learn them once
Personally, I find there are some real advantages with this; I learnt the values of one organisation years ago, and now I know the values of every organisation I’ve worked with since. To give you even more of a mental prompt- ‘TERI is the heart and soul of this organisation’. Again, you’re welcome.
Read here for how management doesn’t always agree with HR mantra of ‘how we do things’
Why the universality
So why is this the case? It’s a big and complex question, but perhaps the simple explanation is this; we have common and communal values about how we work together that sits at a national, if not international level. The idea that ‘we are more productive cooperating with each other’ is not unique to your company, but the underlying social construct that the modern world is based on. This is just common sense to us, but you transport a 2nd century roman into your workplace, and that may be new to her.
So why the universality of values? Because we are all drawing from the same well when we come up with them.
The ambiguous positivity of values
There is some really interesting theory in this space (read here for an example if you’re more curious), but here’s quick gist of it all; broad, vague, values that everyone can agree with (and no one disagrees with), makes us feel together, or no one excluded. So we like values that foster togetherness because they are friends with everyone. But as Taylor Swift reminds us, ‘a friend to all is a friend to none’. Keeping on side with everyone, keeps everyone on the same page, but the page is so broad, so vanilla and so blank, that we do not get anywhere.
Read here for how HR can add strategic value.
So what should you do about it
Nothing. Specifically:
If you have them, no one is getting here by having them, nothing is being disrupted by their existence.
If you don’t have them, don’t feel guilty. Your sneaky assumption that values are fruitless virtue-signalling is not totally without merit. But in any event, people do have values, will have values, and bring the good values of team work, integrity, quality and respect with them to work without you needing to put a poster on the wall.
But don’t think:
That your values are special.
That your values are unique.
That your values truly inform and guide people in their day-to-day decisions.
Don’t agree? No problem. But it merits the discussion, the critique, the constructive disagreement. Understanding the limitations of values helps us understand what they do achieve, and what they may not.
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