The key point here is that you should choose values and not let values choose you. Here are some simple steps to get started:

Understand the values your organization currently has. Some, perhaps all, the values may be perfectly appropriate. Some may not be. But remember, the underlying values are probably different than the bumper sticker values. Conduct an anonymous survey of every single employee and ask them. Don't make this a human resource exercise. It has to come right from the top to be taken seriously.
Once you know the underlying values of the organization, decide which ones are worth keeping, nourishing, and promoting and which ones need to be discarded. And then you and your senior leadership team can decide which new values need to be implemented. This is not a slogan exercise. It is a gut-wrenching soul-searching mission. Which values should you choose? It will be different in every company but you should choose values that drive organizational behavior toward remarkable outcomes. Don't choose values that sound cool in the C-suite but stupid to employees. Choose values that everyone in the organization can get behind and feel good about. Sound like a tough job? It is. The last time I did this it took a year.
Declare to the organization the new values that have been chosen and why. If you have chosen well, people will applaud you when you tell them. If you have chosen poorly, you'll be a water cooler joke. Be very deliberate and comprehensive when you announce the new values. Explain completely what each value means, why it was chosen, and what you expect from employees in terms of behavior to support the values.
Now comes the most crucial part. You must be certain your senior executives live these values day by day. You can't expect "people from below to do what the top does not." Some of your executives won't go along with the new values. Ask them to leave the company. Yes, you read that right. One loose cannon on the values ship can scuttle the whole effort.
Align all organization policies and practices to support the new values. Make them part of performance appraisals, standards for promotions, and compensation increases. Don't let this become a "check the box to keep human resources happy" exercise.
Once the values are firmly entrenched, don't let anybody in the front door that doesn't believe in them. Do a "values check" as part of the interview process.
And finally, this has to be a CEO initiative or it will fail. Think of this as a strategic culture plan, requiring years to execute, not months. And give it the same time, importance, attention, and resources as you do the strategic operating plan.

Instant Insights /

7 lessons American manufacturing's decline can teach any company

More From HR Executive

Related Stories

Recommended For You