Values and Leadership
“It is the quality of one’s convictions that determines success,
not the number of followers.”
Prof. Remus Lupin. (Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II – 2011)
When we talk about or use the term ‘values’, what are we really talking about? Sure, in disciplines such as Anthropology and in Sociology, terms like intrinsic values and extrinsic values are talked about. Keeping things simple though, our values are those things that we hold to or believe to be important to the self and may influence our interactions with others. They may be regarded as being ‘sacrosanct’ and so at its most basic, our values are our reason for why we do or don’t do things. They are in many ways, our reason for action. Some values such as love, are universal. In some corners of Anthropology, particularly Cultural Anthropology, ethnographic work will often lead to an encounter with values and beliefs that pertain to that particular cultural grouping. Understanding what we as individuals rate as being important, to the point of being sacrosanct, our values, beliefs, guide posts, is critical to our understanding of self. The reason for mentioning this is simple. Organizations, whether they be government agencies, companies, not-for-profits, etc, often have ‘values statements’ in their published reports and documents. The values they espouse should therefore be their reason for action. Like it or not, you, the individual, bring into the workplace your personal values, and at some point, they will intersect with the corporate values of the organization. Where they are not in harmony, the outcomes can be both dramatic and for the individual, potentially dire for their future with that organization. Two good examples of values statements in government organizations would be: Boston Public Schools and the Los Angeles County Public Works Department.
Boston Public Schools:
VALUES
“JUICE”: Joy, Unity, Inclusion, Collaboration, and Equity
MISSION
Every child in every classroom in every school gets what they need.
VISION
A nation-leading, student-centered public school district providing an equitable, and excellent, well-rounded education, that prepares every student for success in college, career, and life.
Boston Public Schools. (2020). Imagine BPS: Boston Public Schools 20/25 Strategic Plan. Roxbury. Massachusetts: Boston Public Schools. p15.
Los Angeles County Public Works Department:
VISION
To become the most trusted public agency in the region.
MISSION
We deliver regional infrastructure and services improving the quality of life for more than 10 million people in Los Angeles County.
VALUES
Safety, Community, Workforce Development, Transparency, Inclusivity, Innovation
Values are the underlying principles through which we act to achieve our Vision and fulfill our Mission. They define the fundamental ethics and behaviors that guide the actions and decisions of the Public Works team. Applying our Values in our actions will ensure a climate of unity and trust throughout the organization and in our relationships with customers and stakeholders.
Los Angeles County Public Works Department (2020) Los Angeles County Public Works Strategic Plan. Alhambra. California: Los Angeles County Public Works. p5
It is interesting to note that a government agency such as the Los Angeles County Public Works Department explains, that their understanding of values is what leads them to act in fulfillment of their vision and mission. Equally interesting is that as a government agency, they connect the importance of values to achievement of the vision and mission of the organization. Likewise, Boston Public Schools’ values are located alongside their statement of vision and mission. From a recruitment perspective, panels are wanting to see that the candidate they are looking to hire is a ‘best fit’ for the organization. This means they are looking to ascertain the extent to which the individual candidate will actively work towards achieving the vision and mission of the organization and be supportive of its values. Once that’s determined in the positive, the rest comes down to experience, qualifications, and other essential and desirable criteria. Hence, having a deep understanding of yourself, the values that you live by and the vision and mission you see for yourself is critical in understanding whether you are best suited for a particular employer. John Maxwell highlights why this is so important.
“Now begin looking for people who share your values. When you find them, connect with them. Start building your relationships with them so that you’re ready to take the next step, which is to look for ways to work together to make a difference.”
Maxwell. John. C. (2017). The Power of Your Leadership: Making a Difference with Others (eBook). New York: Hachette Book Group, Inc. p71.
If values are the reason for acting, then they must also be the reason upon which leadership is undertaken and delivered. After all, if leadership is a verb, then in and of itself, it is, therefore, an action. Leadership should also seek to make a difference, for the better. As Maxwell observed in the above quote, working collectively and collaboratively with people who share the same values, is critical to making a difference and achieving mission success.
In a time, when many people across the globe have experienced lockdowns due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, where separation from loved ones has been a reality, where the threat of serious illness has increased stress loads on people, and where the ability to continue to work but from home has been commonplace, it should be of little surprise to an employer, that many people would prefer to keep working from home. The pandemic has not come to an end, we are simply learning to live with the virus. One thing is quite certain. For many people, the lockdowns were an opportunity for self-reflection, self-realignment, and a stock take of individual and collective value sets. It should come as no surprise that people’s values have most likely shifted during the pandemic. In truth, the pandemic most likely has brought to light an issue that has been hiding beneath the surface of the organizational landscape for some time. In 2011, Mark Crowley in his excellent book ‘Lead from the Heart’ observed that a shift in people’s values was afoot at that time, in response to the ‘Great Recession. It may well be that this has collided through the pages of history into the pandemic or that the memory of the ‘Great Recession’ has surfaced in the pandemic, to give rise to the ‘Great Resignation’.
“In a direct response to how their lives were shaken and even unmoored by the “Great Recession,” people across America are deep into the process of reassessing their values and re-ranking what’s most important in life. Consequently, people now are looking at work very differently.”
Crowley, Mark. C. (2011). Lead From the Heart (eBook). Bloomington, Indiana: Balboa Press. p19.
Like it or not, you, the individual, bring into the workplace your personal values and at some point, they will intersect with the corporate values of the organization.
Where job security and money might have been highly prized pre-pandemic, the focus may now be on a better work-life balance, a better sense of connectedness to the family and the broader community, and a desire to have a more holistic view of health. Simply, work has traditionally been one avenue in which people seek to find meaning. With so much introspection though, many will have found that the search for meaning starts from within. According to a McKinsey report (April 2021), there are three things they could and should be doing to retain staff in these uncertain times.
- Start with the organization’s purpose (hint: the only thing you control directly)
One action you can take today is to start spending time with your team reflecting on the impact the company has on the world.…You want dialogue, not monologue. Still, when authentic and handled well, reflections on the bigger picture can inspire a sense of purpose. Our survey found that employees are five times more likely to be excited to work at a company that spends time reflecting on the impact it makes in the world.
- Reflect, connect, repeat
When employees have a chance to reflect on their own sense of purpose, and how it connects to the company’s purpose, good things happen. Survey respondents who have such opportunities are nearly three times more likely than others to feel their purpose is fulfilled at work. Make this a habit in your company.
- Help people live their purpose at work
Sixty-three percent of people we surveyed said they want their employer to provide more opportunities for purpose in their day-to-day work. You need to find ways to deliver.
Dhingra, Naina ., Samo, Andrew., Schaninger, Bill., Matt Schrimper, Matt. (2021). Help your employees find purpose—or watch them leave (April 2021).
Where personal values and personal philosophy has changed, the individual may well see themselves in a juxtaposition to their employer. For employers that think these employees are bluffing, who think that giving the ultimatum to return to the office or leave the company is an incentive, the employer should not be surprised when the reply is, “fine, I’m gone, finished!” The reality is that employers that venture down that path, are not exhibiting agility, and that stated values of trust, collaboration, joy or well-being, are merely words in a pretty document, rather than a lived reality in the organization. Employees with an extensive skillset will have very few problems pivoting in another direction from such an organization. Stephen. R. Covey noted in 2009, the importance of organizational leaders living the stated values of the organization daily, adding real value to the organization’s performance.
“And when individual values are harmonized with those of the organization, people work together for common purposes that are deeply felt. They contribute more as a team than they would individually. Productivity doesn’t just get a little better, it gets dramatically better.”
Covey. Stephen. R. (2009). Principle-Centered Leadership (eBook). New York: RosettaBooks LLC. p264.
The question that remains here is simple. If individual employees have been re-evaluating their lives, their outlook, and their values, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it makes sense that organizations must do the same. This means revisiting the values, the mission, the vision and in doing so, bringing staff in on the ground floor. The critical values here, trust and belonging, are at the heart of all attempts of organizational improvement and the most likely way to gain buy-in from staff across the whole of the organization. Anecdotally, the leadership that has created a high trust organization, who invested time and energy in their people, most likely found negotiating the pandemic, including the ‘working from home’ question, a bit easier. This was recently highlighted by the Harvard Business Review.
“In today’s disruptive marketplace, every organization needs to attract, develop, and retain talent with diverse skills and perspectives. The difference between success and failure will not be in the formulation of job descriptions and compensation packages, but in the ability to articulate a higher purpose. That begins with a clear sense of shared mission and values. Managers must clearly communicate their organization’s shared mission and hire people who will be inspired to dedicate their talents to it. The art of leadership is no longer merely to plan and direct action, but to inspire and empower belief.”
Satell, Greg and Windschitl, Cathy. (2021). High-Performing Teams Start with a Culture of Shared Values (11 May 2021) in Harvard Business Review. Cambridge. Massachusetts: Harvard Business Publishing.
What the new normal brings is a new competitive edge. In the new normal, a new opportunity for organizations to revisit, review and realign their statement of values, mission, and vision exists. It is a true opportunity to demonstrate relevance and purpose in these changing times. At the same time, it is an opportunity for employees to determine what the new normal means for them, in the context of work and a healthy work-life balance. The introspective search that many have been on will have led to a review and realignment or a reassertion of personal values and of a personal philosophy. The need, in light of reviewing organizational values, is to then review the extent to which they are used for decision making. When they are applied in a transparent manner, it reinforces to everyone that indeed these values are sacrosanct to the organization, making harmonization with the personal values of staff a real possibility.
“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” Roy E. Disney See: Colan, Lee. (2019). A Lesson from Roy A. Disney on Making Values-based Decisions (via Inc.com).
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