The modern organization is becoming the new town hall, the new main street. Increasingly, employees are looking to their workplace as their "community." Many people spend more time with co-workers than with their families. Many people don't even know their next door neighbors as well as they know their co-workers. Many Generation X'ers have never experienced a nuclear family or a tightly knit neighborhood. They can't imagine a time when grandma and grandpa, mom and dad and the kids talked together at Sunday supper about the events of the day and the resulting moral implications.
 
 
 
Which brings me back to the question I would like you to think about. What are the principles and values in your workplace? If you’re a manager, where do you want the standards to be set in your own work team? As an individual, what standard do you want to live by? What do you want to stand for?
 
Be forewarned. This is not for those who like to manage by the latest best seller. This goes a lot deeper than that. It also means you have to commit to the dreaded WYT (walk your talk). But I suspect that your employees will embrace it and be uplifted by it. After all, where else can they find it? Most people yearn to be a part of an organization that provides something more than just a paycheck. And if they can be a part of an organization that commits to values-driven behavior, their commitment and productivity soar.
 
 
 
Here are some questions to consider:
 
 
 
The senior management team and the culture of the organization:
·         Has your organization actively defined a set of core values or beliefs? (For example, does your company use words such as honesty, integrity, trust and respect when it defines its mission and vision and how it wants to treat the employees and customers?)
·         Do all members of your senior management team talk about these values often?
·         Do you have confidence that a sexual harassment complaint (or any kind of complaint) would be honestly and carefully investigated?
·         Are employees really treated like "our greatest asset" or is this phrase only something you hear in speeches and press releases?
·         Do budgets, goals and measurements support the values?
·         Has anyone ever been fired or encouraged to leave because they were violating one or more of the values? Was that person in senior management or a big producer who brought in a lot of money?
·         Can you think of situations when the company demonstrated honesty and integrity, when to do otherwise would have been advantageous?
·         Can anyone in the organization ask a question of anyone else, regardless of their level?
·         Is there a lot of finger pointing between departments or between people?
·         Does your manager encourage you to do "the right thing" for the customer, even if it’s not always convenient or efficient for the company?
 
 
 
Managers’ day-to-day behavior:
·         Do managers at all levels try to lead by example?
·         Do you hear "hero stories" in meetings about people who have demonstrated the values with co-workers or customers?
·         Do managers spend more time being honest than evasive?
·         Are each employee's contributions valued and appreciated?
·         Are prejudices and biases discouraged when they surface?
·         Are diverse ideas solicited and encouraged?
·         Do managers share information openly, even when it’s bad news?
·         Do you have to rely on the rumor mill or can you rely on your manager for the truth?
·         Does your manager immediately confront disrespectful behavior when it occurs?
·         Do you feel safe admitting something you’ve done wrong, or do you feel as if you have to lie to avoid blame?
·         When you hear "no" is it followed by an explanation?
·         Are people held accountable for things they should do?
 
 
 
Employees’ day-to-day behavior:
·         Do you trust your co-workers?
·         If you have a problem with something a co-worker has done, do you discuss it with the person or talk behind his or her back?
·         Do you take personal responsibility for your own behavior?
·         Are you open to feedback and coaching on things you could improve?
·         Do you treat your co-workers with as much respect as you show to senior managers?
·         Do you speak up when you have a concern, or are you likely to grouse about it to others?
·         Are you actively working to add value to customers and co-workers?
 
 
Remember, a value-driven organization begins with you.
 
 

Joan Lloyd is a Milwaukee-based executive coach, organizational & leadership development strategist.  She has a proven track record spanning more than 20 years, and is known for her ability to help leaders and their teams achieve measurable, lasting improvements.  Email your question to Joan at info@joanlloyd.com<mailto:info@joanlloyd.com> and visit www.JoanLloyd.com<http://www.joanlloyd.com/> to search an archive of more than 1500 of Joan’s articles. Contact Joan Lloyd & Associates (414) 354-9500. ©Joan Lloyd & Associates, Inc.