Originally posted at www.thebusinessmediator.blogspot.com

It seems that many employees are increasingly disgruntled by their employer’s failure to “walk the talk”. When an organization proclaims
it believes in something, but then behaves in a way that is contrary to
those beliefs, the results are dire. Just today, I heard an example of a
company communicating to its employees that it had instituted a process
for global sales to promote fairness and transparency; however, when
the process was not followed and worse yet, employees were hurt
financially, the company turned its back on its values by not enforcing
the policy against the offending employees. The reaction to this lapse,
predictably, was that the negatively impacted employees did not want to
follow the process the next time (and perhaps even to sabotage it!)
Morale plummeted, trust in the process was lost, and no incentive
remained to pursue similar sales in the future. In one fell swoop, the
organization created a credibility gap.

Living your core values is more than putting a poster on the office wall, or holding a
session to “embed” the values in the organization. Indeed, even if you
are successful in aligning your employees around the values of your
organization, it only takes one misstep (like the one above) to unwind
all the good work that the organization has done to create that
alignment. Put simply, the organization is just one behavior away from
destroying a positive reputation that may have taken years to build.
So, how can an organization ensure that it is walking the talk
consistently?

First, and foremost—ensure that all members of your leadership team demonstrate your organization’s core values in
everything they do. If they do not, you might as well not read any
further. Leaders are like amplifiers—if they are aligned they will
produce resonance—if not aligned, the organization will hear static and
will block out what is being communicated. Second, empower your
employees to raise concerns about behaviors that are inconsistent with
your values, without fear of backlash. You can designate someone in
your organization or on its leadership team to champion these values.
Encourage your employees to share their views and call out inconsistent
behaviors, even if these behaviors originate with your leadership.
Third, make sure that you follow up and follow through on these
legitimate concerns. This will create credibility with your employees
and promote an ethic of accountability. For example, if you value
“respect for all people”, then allowing harassment or demeaning conduct
in any form would not be tolerated. Finally, only hire and retain
employees who demonstrate the core values of your organization. People
are who they are—either they share your values or they do not. So, hire
and keep people who reflect, rather than detract, from who you are. As
Patrick Lencioni teaches—your values should be the immutable parameters
of your hiring decisions.

On a personal note, I lost my father about a week or so ago. I was humbled and overwhelmed by the
support we received by the many, many people who loved him. I heard
wonderful stories about how my dad helped people when they were down,
how he made them laugh, how he taught them to love, how he made them
feel special. These were my dad’s values: showing love, being a friend,
helping others, and keeping his family safe and secure. He lived them
every day. I saw these even more clearly after he died and realized
that your values are what define you. It reflects who you are and who
you are not. Organizations, like people, need to live their values each
and every day. These values define who they and what their legacy will
be. So, go be inspired to create your legacy. It is the foundation
upon which your organization rests.