90 minutes (15 minutes for participants to individually identify values; 30 minutes for small-group work; 15 minutes for individual identification of behaviors; 30 minutes for debriefing)
Work M T, O, D
1. To identify the explicit and implicit values of the organization
2. To identify behaviors that could support the organizational values
3. To identify behaviors that might not support the organizational values
4. To discuss the possibilities of misinterpretation of the intent of behavior
5. To discuss the impact of behavior that appears incongruent with organizational values
• Sets of organizational material for review, one for each participant
• Organizational Values Handout for each participant
• Flipchart
• Tape
• Sticky notes
• Medium-sized sticky dots
• Marking pens, pens, pencils
1. Give each participant a copy of the organization’s vision and mission statement and the “Organizational Values” handout.
2. Ask participants to read over the company-generated material (other organizational material may be included, e.g., marketing tools, customer service protocols) in an effort to identify the implicit as well as explicit values of the organization. Ask participants to circle any value on the “Organizational Values” that they see reflected in the organization’s written materials.
3. The facilitator will have an easel chart or overhead transparency showing the same values as those on the “Organizational Values” handout. This easel should be in front of the room where everyone can see it.
4. Place participants into groups of 4–6. Ask the groups to discuss their individual choices and come to a consensus on a “top ten” list: those values they all agree are most important as reflected in the written materials. Give each group ten dots for one representative to place next to their ten choices on your values chart (or, if you use an overhead transparency, ask the group representatives to mark their choices with hash marks on the transparency). After each group has indicated their choices, the highest-priority values for the organization should be evident.
Note: If there is no consensus, this will provide an opportunity to direct the training toward the importance of values clarity and how lack of values clarity affects performance and job satisfaction. The participants should then be directed to identify ways to achieve greater clarity in organizational values.
5. Now give each participant 20 sticky notes. Ask everyone to identify, individually, one behavior that he or she thinks would support each of the top ten values and one behavior that would not and to write these behaviors on their sticky notes—one behavior per note.
6. While the participants are writing behaviors, tape up ten sheets of easel paper. Write one of the top ten values at the top of each page, then below the value write “Supportive Behaviors” on one side of the page and “Nonsupportive Behaviors” on the other side of the page.
7. Ask participants to place their sticky notes on the value sheets around the room. Give them time to wander around the room and read the behaviors that others have identified. Tell them to specifically look for any behaviors that might appear to be in conflict. For example, “quick, efficient checkout” might be seen as a behavior that supports good customer service while someone else might see this same behavior as nonsupportive because it may be perceived as unfriendly. What is viewed as fast and efficient service in a U.S. restaurant might be interpreted by some Europeans as an attempt to rush the meal and get on to the next customer.
1. Answer the following:
• Are the values of the organization clear from the written materials?
• Are the behaviors of people within the organization supportive of the values in the written materials? If not, how might this affect managers, employees, or customers?
• Where was it easiest or hardest for the small groups and large group to come to agreement on the top ten values? Why?
• Was it easy or difficult for the group to agree on behaviors that support a value? Why?
2. How did you feel during this process? Why?
3. Which actions or behaviors among your group members were helpful to you as you worked together? What values were demonstrated in the way you held your discussion? Were there behaviors that helped or hindered your group participation? What values do you hold that made those behaviors helpful or hindering?
4. What have you learned?
• What happens if we both have the same value but behave in different ways to demonstrate that value?
• What strategies might we use to resolve those differences?
• What happens if your personal values are inconsistent with those of the organization?
• What strategies might you use to manage those differences?
5. How could you apply information from this activity to your work life?
1. Individual actions are not always in alignment with organizational values.
2. Actions can speak louder than words.
3. A wide range of actions may demonstrate the same organizational value.
4. The intent behind someone’s behavior may not match the interpretation of that behavior by the receiver. It is important to ask questions that will clarify intent.
5. Actions that are seen and understood as congruent with organizational values foster trust and promote authenticity.
Adapted from an activity in Personal Workbook: Understanding and Working with Values by Brian P. Hall.
1. Accountability/Ethics: Recognizing managers and employees for behaviors that support the written values. This might be through bonus or performance review systems, through recognition ceremonies, or in other ways that acknowledge those who behave consistently with the organization’s stated values or ethics.
2. Achievement/Success: Acknowledging and rewarding those who meet individual and/or team targets.
3. Adaptability/Flexibility: Adjusting readily to changing business conditions and challenges; remaining flexible even under stressful circumstances.
4. Administration/Control: Managing systems and processes of the organization’s activities.
5. Belief/Philosophy: Supporting the beliefs that are essential to the success of the organization.
6. Change: Supporting ongoing transformation of the organization in order to prosper in the world of business, enhance the quality of life, create meaningful work for all employees, and develop an institution that benefits society.
7. Collaboration: Cooperating with all levels of the organization to achieve success and serve customers.
8. Communication/Information: Transmitting ideas and information among persons, departments, and divisions of the organization effectively and efficiently. This includes efficient use of meetings, e-mail, phones, facsimile, and memoranda.
9. Commitment/Cooperation: Attaining sufficient commitment to the organization and its members so that interdependent cooperation is achieved.
10. Competition: Possessing a positive sense of challenge to be first and most respected in a given arena. Emphasis is on being competitive with oneself—to be the best one can.
11. Control/Order/Discipline: Providing restraint, direction, and professional discipline to achieve success according to prescribed rules.
12. Creativity/Innovation: Introducing creative ideas for positive change in business and social organizations and systems. This includes developing new products and services that are responsive to client and customer needs and providing a framework for actualizing them.
13. Discernment: Enabling a group or organization to achieve consensus in long-term planning decisions through openness, reflection, and honest interaction.
14. Education: Encouraging and providing support for employees to complete the education and training they need to continually improve their capabilities.
15. Hierarchy/Order: Recognizing the essential and positive nature of layered management that conforms to established standards of what is proper within an organization.
16. Human Dignity: Encouraging systems and practices that actively support consciousness of the basic right of every person to have respect and to have basic needs met. Beyond this, there is a need for management structures and practices that empower employees, customers, and stakeholders with the opportunity to develop their potential through mutual accountability, collaboration, and personal/professional development.
17. Inclusiveness: To be open to—and value—different points of view regardless of gender, cultural origin, or perspective.
18. Independence: Encouraging individuals to think and act for themselves without always being subject to external constraints or authority.
19. Mutual Accountability: Maintaining a reciprocal balance of tasks and assignments so that everyone is answerable for his or her own area of responsibility. This requires the ability to manage conflict and deal with differences in creative and supportive ways that move relationships to increasing levels of cooperation.
20. Prestige/Image: Promoting an organizational style and appearance that reflects success and achievement, gains the esteem of others, and promotes success.
21. Productivity: Feeling energized by generating and completing tasks and by achieving established goals and expectations.
22. Reason: Facilitating a team, group, or individuals to think logically and reasonably, even under stress, in a way that is based on a formal body of information. This is the capacity to exercise reason before emotions, while still taking emotions seriously.
23. Research: Systematically collecting and analyzing data for the purpose of creating new insights, products, and service.
24. Safety/Survival: Guarding the safety of all personnel against personal injury and danger or loss by doing what is necessary to set up systems and procedures to support this end.
25. Technology: Prioritizing resources and technology as a significant part of business.
26. Tradition: Ritualizing history and traditions as an important link from the past to the future. Recognizing corporate history as a way of enriching the meaning of what the organization stands for.
27. Unity/Diversity: Recognizing that an organization is creatively enhanced by giving equal opportunity to persons from a variety of cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and education. The concept is that differences are an advantage in a collaborative learning environment.
28. Workmanship/Art/Craft: Encouraging capabilities requiring manual dexterity to produce artifacts and/or technology that enhance the quality of life for ourselves and our customers.
Adapted from an activity in Personal Workbook: Understanding and Working with Values by Brian P. Hall.