HR Pulse - Spring 2009 - (Page 32) LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH VALUES Values are where the hard stuff and the soft stuff come together, and values drive the business. Now, more than ever, is the time for you and your organization to put values in action. throughout the organization are plentiful. They include: Employee Engagement: Remind employees that you’re a “people-first” organization with strong values—and put them into practice. • Continually explore the strengths and talents of all employees to see how they fit with the mission and vision of the organization. • Share how tough business decisions are made in the context of the organization’s values. • Regularly demonstrate how values are the touchstones that drive strategy and operations. • Ask for, listen, and respond appropriately to input and feedback. Employee Recruitment: Connect with new talent by bringing values into recruiting and onboarding. • Discover whether the underlying values systems of candidates align with the values of the organization. Misalignment most often will result in poor performance and disengagement. • Explore the possibility that a strong values alignment (contextual fit) may actually result in the ability and willingness of candidates to adapt their skills and/or expectations. • Provide new employees the opportunity to express their values and demonstrate their contributions within the organization’s value system. Performance Improvement: Increase employee commitment from a foundation of values. • Celebrate the organization’s meaningful work and connect accomplishments to values. 32 HR Pulse Spring 2009 • Attribute the organization’s achievements to its people. • Reward and recognize employees for demonstrating their commitment to the organization’s values in the work that they do. • Provide resources and support to people on the frontline who face values-driven decisions every day. • Encourage employees to “champion the brand” in all that they do. ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE When internal values drive external activities, the integrity of the organization’s service delivery, brand, and public positioning are congruent, building trust across the board. At the same time, clarifying what the organization stands for and how it conducts business sets the organization apart from the competition through: • Service Excellence – Raise the bar for a values-based culture of care that touches employees, patients, and doctors alike. • Community Relations – Maximize consumer loyalty and trust by reaffirming your presence and commitment to healthy communities. • Values-Based Marketing – Distinguish your brand and elevate your competitive advantage with honest, transparent, and authentic messaging. Values are where the hard stuff and the soft stuff come together, and values drive the business. Now, more than ever, is the time for you and your organization to put values in action. ■ Becky J. Frederick and Susan Graim are founders of PROstrategy ValueWorksSM. Together, they represent more than 45 years of experience in corporate, nonprofit, government and professional association workplaces. Contact them at info@ provalueworks.com Personal Values Core values are the deeply ingrained principles that guide personal decisions, behaviors, and actions. They are the essence of: WHO WE ARE // HOW WE FEEL // WHAT WE DO Organizational Values Core values are the institutional principles that inform people’s decisions, behaviors, and actions. They provide an organization-wide basis for: PURPOSE // STRATEGY // RELATIONSHIP // REPUTATION
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