Organisational Values
Andre O’Callaghan
SDF Networking Event
February 2007
INTRODUCTION TO ORGANSATIONAL VALUES
You have limited time to debate and agree on the following statements:
• Osama bin Laden is not a terrorist – he is merely a passionate fighter for
religious freedom and equality.
• Hitler was a good leader – he inspired a whole nation to follow him.
• Dagga/marijuana should be legalized, as it is used anyway. By legalizing
it, it can be better controlled and taxed like cigarettes.
• A wealthy art collector decided to be buried with his favourite painting –
worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It will be lost forever – should he be
allowed to do it?
INTRODUCTION TO ORGANSATIONAL VALUES
You have limited time to debate and agree on the following statements:
7. An individual person should not be able to accumulate a personal fortune
worth billions of dollars, whilst the majority of the world’s population is
dying of hunger and living in terrible poverty.
8. Schools should teach religious studies and ethics.
9. Same-sex marriages should be legalized – normal relationships are full of
problems in any case (highest divorce rate, highest rape incidence,
highest domestic violence rate, etc). So what is normal and what is not?
10. A pharmaceutical company believes it has a potential cure for HIV/AIDS.
They need to do testing on apes, meaning the apes will be infected with
the virus. The apes will be well-treated, but will eventually die. The study
will cost the tax-payer R20 million. Do they go ahead?
VALUES INTRODUCTION
Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything
that counts cannot necessarily be counted Albert Einstein
Why Values, What Values?
• Our people are our most important asset
• We value our customers
• We stand for integrity
ORGANISATIONAL VALUES
Some misconceptions regarding core organizational
values:
• You
can
not
‘set’
org
ani
zati
ona
l
val
BELIEFS TO BEHAVIOUR (VIA VALUES)
OUTCOMES
Behaviour
Attitudes
Experience
Norms
Values
BELIEFS
THE LINK BETWEEN VALUES AND STRATEGY
(THE ALIGNMENT CHALLENGE)
Organisational values and personal values need to be closely aligned (the
more our personal values overlap with that of the organization, the more
committed we will be).
The organizational values need to support the key strategic goals and vision of
the company. Values are the key to the success of an organization.
FUNDAMENTAL ‘TRUTHS’ ABOUT VALUES IN
ORGANIZATIONS
Personal values will always override organizational values.
All behaviour is values and belief-based.
Aligned personal values and organizational values are key
to optimal performance.
CATEGORIES OF VALUES – 3 BROAD
Control values (values that relate to concepts/ideas and
perceptions about control).
Ethical values (values that we believe should be adhered to
when we deal with other people).
Development values (values relating to ideas/perceptions
about discovering, developing and creating something
new).
Control Values:
Efficiency, planning, productivity,
responsibility, authority,
accountability, etc
Impacts on:
Ethical Values: Decision making
Sharing, listening, respect, trust, Long term
openness, honesty, humour, etc objectives
Short term
objectives
Development Values:
Growth, research, creativity, etc
THE LINK BETWEEN STRATEGY AND VALUES
To merely have a vision is not the same as being a truly
visionary organization.
Do you agree? Why?
THE LINK BETWEEN STRATEGY AND VALUES
The difference lies in creating alignment - alignment with
the core values, that will:
• Reinforce its purpose, and
• Enhance and enable progress towards its
aspirations.
What would an alien from another planet say about
your values and culture?
DEFINING AND ASSESSING ORGANISATIONAL VALUES
Techniques and methods:
• AVI’s (A Value Inventory)
• Questionnaires
• Focus Groups
• Appreciative Enquiry
• Culture Surveys and assessments
• Analysis of critical incidents, policies and
procedures
DEFINING AND ASSESSING ORGANISATIONAL VALUES
Exercise:
Taking your values to an island
The leadership should also consider key questions
such as:
1. What core values do we bring to work – those
values that are seen and felt by employees.
2. Would you want the organization to have these
values.
3. Are they enablers or obstructions.
4. Do our customers share these values.
BENEFITS OF A ‘VALUE-BASED’ ORGANISATION
(and the cost of not addressing values)
Policies, procedures and practices
Recruitment and selection processes
Better retention, stronger cultural sense and better
team work
Training and development
Alignment with stakeholders
A performing organisation
BENEFITS OF A “VALUE-BASED” ORGANISATION
(and the cost of not addressing values)
People can realise their potential more effectively
Value alignment influences attitudes and can have a
major impact on organisational factors such as productivity,
staff turnover and absenteeism.
Recognition of shared values gives employees and the
organisation a ‘shared language’.
HOW TO CHANGE VALUES - THE LEADERSHIP
CHALLENGE
How values are created:
The values and beliefs of the founder
The beliefs and values of the management team
The values and beliefs of the staff
Current legislation
The “rules” of the market/industry
Prevailing social values
The history of the company
Values of stakeholders
STEPS IN REPOSITIONING OR REDEFINING THE VALUES
Create dissatisfaction with the status quo – establish a compelling
reason for change
Distil the essential values (reformulates values with maximum
participation at all levels)
Redefine vision, mission and key focus areas and communicate
Review practices, policies and procedures to ensure alignment with
new values
Monitor values through audits
Reinforce values through appropriate rewards and recognition
CULTURE, DIVERSITY AND VALUES
Diversity includes:
Values
Professional experience
Skills
Culture
Social class
Age
Race
Gender
Physical ability
Sexual orientation
Religion
Language
If we do not share a common set of fundamental values, the result
is often:
Intense conflict
False expectations
Diminished capacity, and
Poor performance on key stakeholder expectations
MAINTAINING VALUES – A CASE FOR 360º REVIEWS
The following aspects are important to consider when
implementing multi-rater reviews:
Training is crucial
Employees must be allowed to express concerns (i.e. subjectivity,
bias, victimisation, etc)
Trust needs to be strong in the organisation
All levels must be part of the process
VALUES IN SMME’s (CHALLENGES AND KEY LESSONS)
Differences in values (owner and workers) are much more visible and
have more negative impact than in bigger organisations.
The leadership style in SMME’s is often autocratic, based in the belief that
directive management is best to get things done.
Relationships are often closer and more personal than in bigger
organisations
Trust, commitment and loyalty are often expressed values within SMME’s
by the owner.
Employees in SMME’s often express core working values such as respect,
creativity and care.
We often find major underlying conflict in SMME’s
Questions and
Answers
