Sean Glaze argues that listing core values means nothing without concrete behaviors attached. Leaders need to define what each value actually looks like in daily work, then use those examples to align performance and shape culture through repeated actions.
Why do you need a clear set of team values as an effective leader? Well, most organizations have actually taken the time to at least list the values that they want their people to appreciate. And core values, when you identify them, help to establish the priorities and help to set an expectation in terms of standards of performance for your people. The issue is that values, whether you have 4 or 5 that are listed on your company webpage, do nothing, and are absolutely worthless if you've not defined them based upon behaviors. See, culture is nothing more than the repeated behaviors in your organization. If you want to improve behaviors, you need to define exactly what it is that you want to see demonstrated by your people. Values help to emphasize specific behaviors, but you need to take the time with specific group of stakeholders to help them to come up with examples of behaviors of what those values look like in your hallways and offices. And if you can come up with a few examples of what the values look like, then your people have an idea of what you want to see them doing. I'm Sean Glaze. That's what effective leaders do.
