?? Aligning Your Organization Around Core Values: A Pathway to Social Change

In the realm of social impact, the power of core values cannot be overstated. At Mpowrd Analytics, we recently embarked on a transformative journey with brand strategist to develop our company values. Through this process, we've come to understand that aligning around core values is not just an internal exercise—it's a crucial pathway for driving meaningful social change. In this post, we'll share our experience and provide steps for other organizations looking to harness the power of values-based alignment to amplify their impact.

The Importance of Core Values in Driving Social Change

Core values serve as the compass guiding an organization's decisions, actions, and overall mission. When an organization aligns around a set of carefully chosen values, it creates a unified approach to tackling social issues. This alignment ensures that every team member, from leadership to frontline staff, is working towards the same goals with a shared understanding of what's important.

Mpowrd Analytics' Core Values

Our journey led us to identify six core values that define who we are and how we work:

1. Equity-We uplift diverse identities by providing tailored opportunities that address the intersecting needs of individuals, empowering them to thrive.

2. Justice-We commit to equitable resource and power distribution, creating an empowering environment that addresses historical and current inequities.

3. Inclusion- We advocate for access and agency, empowering all individuals and cultivating a sense of belonging within our clients and community.

4. Wellbeing-We prioritize safety and support to ensure our team, clients and community thrive.

5. Reflection-We champion personal growth through reflective practices, gaining insights into our own perspectives and positions.

6. Self-awareness-We foster a deep understanding of our core values, guiding our actions and decisions with integrity and accountability.

These values now shape every aspect of our work, from internal operations to client interactions and community engagement.

Steps to Align Your Organization Around Core Values for Social Change

Step 1: Identify Your Core Values

We worked with a brand strategist to uncover values that truly resonated with our mission and team. For other organizations, this process might involve team workshops, surveys, or focus groups. The key is to engage your entire team in the process, ensuring that the values selected are authentic and widely embraced.

Step 2: Define What Each Value Means for Your Organization

Once you've identified your core values, it's crucial to define what they mean in the context of your work. For example, at Mpowrd Analytics, "equity" means uplifting diverse identities by providing tailored opportunities that address intersecting needs. Take the time to create clear, actionable definitions for each of your chosen values.

Step 3: Integrate Values into Organizational Practices

Bringing values to life requires intentional integration into your organization's practices. Consider how each of your values can be translated into concrete policies, procedures, and daily practices.

Step 4: Communicate Values Internally and Externally

Effective communication of your values is crucial for alignment. Internally, we hold regular team discussions and reflection sessions focused on our values. Externally, we make our values known to clients, partners, and the community through our website, social media, and in all our interactions. Develop a communication strategy that keeps your values at the forefront of all stakeholder engagements.

Step 5: Regularly Assess and Realign

Values alignment is an ongoing process. We begin every team meeting with how we lived into one of our core values in the prior week of work. Implement a system for periodic value assessment and be prepared to make adjustments as your organization evolves and grows.

The Impact of Value Alignment on Social Change

Since aligning around our core values, Mpowrd Analytics has seen a significant enhancement in our social impact. Our team is more unified in purpose, our client relationships are stronger, and our community engagement is more meaningful. We've observed that when organizations align around strong values, it creates a ripple effect, inspiring partners, clients, and even competitors to reflect on their own values and practices.

For example, our commitment to equity led us to redesign our hiring practices, resulting in a more diverse team that brings a wealth of perspectives to our work. This, in turn, has improved our ability to serve a wider range of communities effectively.

Embark on Your Value Alignment Journey

Aligning your organization around core values is a powerful strategy for driving social change. It provides a clear direction, unifies your team, and amplifies your impact. We encourage you to begin your own value alignment journey, using the steps we've outlined as a guide.

At Mpowrd Analytics, we're committed to sharing our experiences and insights to help others on this path. By aligning your actions with your values, you can drive the social change you envision and inspire others to join you in creating a more just and equitable world.

Remember, this process is ongoing and unique to each organization. Embrace the journey of discovery, reflection, and growth that comes with aligning around core values. Together, we can create a world where values-driven organizations lead the way in making meaningful, lasting social change.