- So, what are these things called values
that we all value so much at work?
Well, you've got values at an individual level,
even if you can't always articulate them,
you have values that drive how you make decisions
that drive your behaviors in your personal life
and your work life,
values that perhaps you hope to live up to,
values that you perhaps hope to instill
within your children.
At an organization level,
every organization, every company has values.
They're not always good values,
but every organization has values.
And most organizations, of course,
have a list somewhere of those inspiring, rocking values.
Sometimes we put them on coffee mugs
because they're just that important,
or on the nice posters with the pictures of the puppies,
and the rainbows, and the unicorns,
because you know, our values are so nice and awesome.
And then you get your team together every now and then
and you hold hands and you sing, "We are the World,"
'cause your values make you feel so good.
Now here's the challenge I'm going to give you
when it comes to values.
I wanna remind you that every organization,
for the most part, has a list of inspiring, rocking values.
In fact, some of your competitors,
I guarantee you,
has the exact same list of values that you have.
So what makes a difference
between those one percenter companies
that are absolutely rocking it,
those companies that make it onto the coveted best places
to work lists versus the rest?
Well, it's remembering those cliche sayings
that when it comes to values,
actions speak louder than words and talk is cheap.
In fact, the reason talk is cheap
is because actions speak louder than words.
That's how we know what our real values are,
are through your actions.
You, at an individual level,
at a leadership team level, at an organization level,
communicate messages day in and day out
to your employees and to your customers
through your behaviors and through your actions,
and through your non-actions in big ways,
sometimes in small ways,
small, simple things that we do at work.
Checking text messages during an important conversation
with a teammate or during a meeting sends a message.
Your phone call is very important to us.
That's why we're placing you on hold
for the next 45 minutes.
We believe the behaviors that we see.
That's why values are absolutely critical
if we get them right in terms of building a rocking,
successful culture.
Values truly are the building blocks of a culture.
They help create an inspiring culture
and reflect an inspiring culture.
Your values are literally what you value,
which means it's where you invest your time, your money,
it is where you invest your attention.
It's what you focus on.
Those are your values.
And if you look at the end of the week,
if you keep a journal
of how you spent your time during the week,
and you see that even though you say to yourself,
you value this,
you value connecting with your employees,
or you value time with your family, whatever it may be,
but that isn't reflected in your diary,
then you may aspire to value those things,
but the reality is you are not valuing those things.
Our values are reflected through our behaviors,
and when employees or customers see a disconnect
between what we say we're all about
and what they're actually experiencing,
or seeing with their own eyes, then cynicism goes up,
trust is broken,
and Dilbert cartoons probably go on the rise
in your workplace.
At an individual level,
your values help define your character.
Your values will guide your future if you get them right
and if you use them right.
If you bring your values to life,
and if you use them in a meaningful way,
your values will become your goal posts,
they will become your guiding lights
for how you make decisions and how you behave,
they will be your checks and balances
as you move your business forward.
They will help you create a truly rocking,
inspiring culture if you bring your values to life.
So let's talk about how we have to do that
to make sure your values don't just hang on a pretty poster
in the lunch room.