You Have More Than Four
Our working memory can only hold 3-4 things at once. If you have too many values, you're making it too hard for your people to actually live them.
Learn if your values have what it takes to create value in the modern workplace.
Of non-values led organizations suffer annual revenue DECLINE. (Workforce Purpose Index)
Of values-led organizations experience annual revenue GROWTH. (Workforce Purpose Index)
ONLY 37% of leaders feel their core values are effective. (Booz Allen Institute)
Here's how to tell if they may need some work:
Our working memory can only hold 3-4 things at once. If you have too many values, you're making it too hard for your people to actually live them.
Strong values drive decisions. If your people can't recite them when asked, they're clearly not using them to guide their behaviour.
If your values can't be used to quantifiably separate one candidate from another (hint, most can't), then they need a major upgrade.
The most common problem with core values however is their lack of contrast. Your values can be pretty words on your website that you think your customers will like or they can be cognitive tools your people use to drive positive behaviour and performance. That choice comes down to the degree to which your values create choice.
Having values is not enough. Your people must decide to live them.
The part of the brain that makes decisions is influenced by two other parts: the part that feels and the part that thinks.
It is also governed by the law of contrast: we cannot decide anything without feeling as though we've been given a choice.
Without choice we will continue to think about something and we will continue to feel about something, but we will not decide to take action.
Now picture a choice. Say you had the choice of receiving $50 cash or... a kick in the shin.
Your choice is fairly obvious.
However, that's because there is a clearly good choice and a clearly bad one. When this happens the thinking part of your brain influences the decision.
This is how most organizations drive engagement. Do your job and we'll pay you (good thing) or don't and we'll let you go (bad thing).
The problem is, engagement is the emotional connection your people have with your company. Your values must give people a choice, however it cannot be between good and bad, it must be the choice between good and 'good'.
Picture the choice between $50 cash or your favourite food, or favourite experience or time with your favourite person. Your decision is now emotional and you will therefore be more engaged in the outcome.
This is why words like 'teamwork' routinely fail as core values. Ask someone in an interview if they believe in teamwork and they can logically see the answer you're seeking.
Functional & Frictional ValuesTM are the only proven way to build values that allow you to test alignment and create engagement.
The built-in contrast in Functional & Frictional ValuesTM help you measure your culture quantifiably, allowing you to determine who is really on your team.
A Players are those who are both a seamless fit for the role they are in (Competence) as well as a seamless fit for the team they are on (Culture).
They are fully aligned with your values and behave accordingly.
You should be constantly Targeting your next A Player, something made impossible with the wrong values.
B Players are just as aligned with your Culture as A Players are, they simply lack the same level of Competence.
If you have an extra dollar, hour or ounce of patience it must be invested in Training your B Players into becoming your future A's.
A lack of B Players is the biggest hinderance to a company's ability to scale.
Most company's values are insufficient when it comes to measuring Culture leaving those companies with Competence as their sole benchmark when adding to their team.
These companies find themselves forced to Tolerate a lot of C Players.
Getting your values right before you hire is the only way to prevent this.
If someone cannot do the job (Competence) and they don't fit the team (Culture) then you really don't need us to tell you what to do.
The truth is most D Players don't stick around long enough to do much damage.
It is the Competence of the C Player that keeps them with you long enough to cause continued conflict.
Book your no-obligation, 30 minute Values Audit today. We will walk you through the four 'workplace threats' that all values must be strong enough to handle, and give you a free assessment of how yours hold up.
Haven't determined your core values yet? Even better. We'll show you how simple it can be to build your values correctly from day one, leading to a level of engagement and team commitment you never thought possible.