A statement of values is one of the strongest messages that senior leadership can communicate during a time of change. Values can add stability and opportunities for innovation at times of change. However, for values to have value, their meaning must be shared in a group, and expectations of behaviors must be communicated.
Shared values are critical to binding people and creating unified expectations. However, our interpretation of values can differ. For example, the value of “excellence” can mean many things. For some, excellence means getting something right. For others, excellence means trying something new to improve an outcome, even if the attempt fails. Both positions are easy to understand, but our starting points may differ and cause disagreements. When differences get in the way of solving a problem, we can forget what the problem was!
One method to create a shared understanding of team values is to create a Values-to-Behavior Charter. This is a simple but powerful tool that can be useful for both internal teams and for teams working with external partners. The charter requires the following steps.
- Identify organizational (or team) values
- Examine each value and describe what it means
- Write down three behaviors that you want to see that support the value
- Write down three behaviors that you do not want to see or do not support that value
- Create a charter
- Use the charter as an open document in team meetings to call out undesirable behaviors and to praise behavior that supports the value.
- Be open to changing descriptions of the value behaviors over time
- Use the charter to orient new team members
In organizations where differences are respected, values are an invitation to see and understand a different point of view. As we work closely with people from different cultural and generational backgrounds and different genders, we soon learn there is no one best way to manage human relations or deal with differences in time and the environment.
As leadership author and culture expert, Fons Trompenaars has noted many times, the value of a value is how it solves problems. Team charters can help unify differences and create a shared understanding of behaviors needed to accomplish new goals and achieve the desired change. A team charter reflects and deepens organizational culture, making implicit behavior expectations explicit.
For more information about team charters, culture for business, and managing change, MC employees are encouraged to visit www3.thtconsulting.com.