Danielle Levy Business Growth Strategist & Founder of The Boardroom League.
Core values are more than words on a webpage or a plaque on your office wall. They are the lifeblood of your business, representing its core principles and beliefs. While many companies outline their mission, vision and values, operationalizing these core values is where the real magic happens.
I’ve found that when properly designed and incorporated, your core values can play a massive role in whether or not your company grows and profits in a way that aligns with your vision.
Define Your Values
First, you must clearly define your values and determine how they will manifest within your business. It’s not about simply stating these values; it’s about identifying the behaviors and actions that embody these values in your workplace.
Instead of brainstorming values, ask yourself some fundamental questions.
• What skills have been pivotal in overcoming your most significant challenges?
• What passions and talents ignite your enthusiasm?
• What are the hard-earned skills and lessons that define you?
Your candid answers to these questions can provide valuable insights into what’s important to you and to your success. Once you know your values, associate specific behaviors with each value. For instance, if one of your core values is “timeliness,” related behaviors might include being organized and proficient in time management.
As an example, transparency and accountability are values that are integral to my own business. No leader is perfect, nor are their employees. We all make mistakes from time to time. Imagine being an intern at HBO Max and sending out an empty test email to their subscribers. Fortunately, most of our errors happen on a smaller stage, but they do happen. And when they do, it can be tempting to shut down for fear of reprisal. My advice? Don’t. Instead of hiding from your mistakes, own them. Take responsibility, be accountable and grow from them.
Communicate Your Values With Your Team
Merely understanding your values isn’t enough; they must be effectively communicated throughout your team. While you might think that explaining your values during the onboarding process is sufficient, it’s just the beginning. Operationalizing your values necessitates ongoing communication and reinforcement.
As a leader, I’ve found that the best way to reinforce your values is to model them on a regular basis. When your employees see that you uphold these values, they are more likely to do the same.
Here are some strategies for effective value communication and reinforcement.
• Storytelling. Share real-life stories and examples that illustrate how your values have positively impacted the organization. Personal anecdotes or anecdotes from team members can make the values more relatable and memorable.
• Recognition and rewards. Acknowledge and reward team members who consistently embody the company’s values in their work. This not only reinforces the importance of these values but also incentivizes others to follow suit.
• Training and development. Integrate your core values into training and development programs. Offer resources and workshops that help employees understand how to apply these values in their roles effectively.
• Feedback and evaluation. During performance evaluations or feedback sessions, assess how well employees align with the company’s values. Provide constructive feedback on areas where improvement is needed and recognize those who excel in this regard.
For example, when I say that transparency and accountability are two of my core values, I communicate this continuously to my team through my actions and feedback. A recent issue arose with an employee who had stopped communicating and missed a deadline. I spoke to her about it directly, addressing the problem, and she took immediate accountability. In addition to direct feedback, I recognized her efforts to other team members so they all understand this is more than appreciated: It is a core value.
Throughout my career, I have experienced many managers and mentors, some of whom have been fantastic and others what I describe as game players. All of them, for better or worse, have left a lasting impression. The managers and mentors whose core values I admire, like transparency and accountability, are those I now model with my team.
Operationalize Your Values On A Regular Basis
Operationalizing is the process of translating abstract concepts into concrete, measurable actions. When your core values are transparent and well-understood within your organization, your team knows what to expect. This fosters confidence among your employees, and this confidence inevitably translates into improved customer experiences and increased sales. Here are a couple of steps to operationalizing your values on a regular basis.
Connect Your Values To Your Operations
Actively discuss your core values, regularly review their definitions and ensure that your expectations are communicated effectively. Show your team how these values come to life in your daily operations.
For example, once again, using transparency as a core value, clear communication would be a behavior that embodies that. Having regular touchpoints where team members provide you with an update on their projects is a great way to carry out transparency as a core value.
My biggest tip in achieving transparency for any business is direct communication. This is especially true for hard conversations. Of course, we are human first. Being a great human is another core value of mine. But with it comes balancing fairness to the business. And that circles back to the need for direct communication.
Analyze Your Processes
High-performing leaders and their teams regularly assess their processes and procedures. This evaluation helps identify what aligns with your values and what doesn’t. It’s not a one-time exercise; as your business grows, you must adapt and refine your processes to stay aligned with your values and support your growth.
Living Your Values Leads To Success
Remember that expressing your mission, vision and values should not be a one-time event. It’s an ongoing practice that breathes life into your company’s DNA. So, revisit those inspiring statements regularly, infuse them into your communication and witness the positive ripple effects they create throughout your organization. By operationalizing your values, you not only stay true to your vision but also drive your business forward and ultimately boost your sales.
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