By the time of the early 1970’s, Organisational values began to surface in the business mindset. Despite a general awareness, the experience of The Proven Group team is that organisational values across the spectrum of Australian industries are ill-conceived, misinterpreted, intermittently applied or ignored entirely (there are of course a few organisations doing it well…).
The question we might ask is: How could our business evolve and grow if we created and maintained the right values?
In marketing lingo, we might also ask: what is the value proposition created from establishing and maintaining a set of organisational values?
How do we measure a value proposition? This is the first hurdle we face when addressing the above questions, how do we measure it? It is difficult so we need a tool to create scale. Clearly, if we fail to describe or understand the dividend of a course of action, our motivation to take it is greatly diminished. If, however we do proceed and the fruits of our labour are not reaped or recognised, the results can be disastrous.
The next question in our line of enquiry should be: How are our organisational values derived?
In recent times, HR departments and Leadership teams have enabled employees to be involved in the creation of organisational values. Managed well, staff can leave feeling involved and motivated with a shared sense of power. Yet the destination arrived at is generally a standard A4 poster on the wall that nobody pays much attention to.
For your organisational values to have genuine value, to be maintained and relevant, they must create a ‘line-of-sight’ to the overall goals of the organisation. They must guide behaviours towards performance you expect. They must dovetail into your corporate themes and strategic plans and when they do, you will start to see value; our value proposition will emerge.
The Proven Group team are experts at helping you create real value in your organisational values. Using tools like GAMs (Goals, Actions, Measures) and our Culture Survey we will help you build a values-based culture that is relevant, appropriate and sustainable; a culture that will lift and maintain motivation, discretionary effort and performance and generate the results you expect.
Get in touch with us today.
