The Importance of Values in Shaping Organizational Culture
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Values matter and play a crucial role in our personal and professional lives. It's becoming increasingly important for businesses to prioritize work-life balance. For instance, Wal-Mart has decided to remain closed on Thanksgiving for the fourth year in a row, allowing their employees to spend quality time with their families. Let's face it, how many big screens do we need? At face value, Wal-Mart is valuing its employees over the profit that could be made by staying open. They are choosing one thing over another, which is the ultimate standard of a value.
Our choices, behaviors, and actions communicate our values, even if we don't explicitly state them. For instance, if instead of taking the day off, going on a promised vacation, or coming home, I choose to complete a vital project again, I am conveying to those around me that I value work more than those other activities. So, even if we don't say it out loud, our actions communicate our values. Your values, whether stated or unstated, significantly impact your life and the organization you lead. Your values are impacting your organization in five key ways.
1.??? Values play a crucial role in shaping organizational culture. When values are aligned with the organization's mission, consistently reinforced, and modeled by leadership, they can create a positive work environment and a sense of shared purpose, leading to increased motivation and higher morale.
2.??? Values serve as a guideline for behavior. When an organization's values are aligned with its mission and are consistently reinforced, they become a part of the culture. For example, if an organization values honesty and transparency, it will likely have a culture that encourages open communication and trust.
3.??? Values also help to create a sense of community. Employees with common values are likelier to work together towards a common goal. This sense of shared purpose can lead to increased motivation, higher morale, and an overall more positive work environment.
4.??? Values must be communicated and reinforced consistently. This can be done through training programs, recognition programs, and regular communication from leadership. By consistently reinforcing values, organizations can embed them into the culture and ensure that they guide employee behavior and decision-making.
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5.??? Values alone are not enough to create a positive organizational culture. Leaders must also model these values in their behavior and decision-making. If leaders do not live up to their values, employees will quickly lose faith in the organization's commitment to those values.
Clarifying personal and corporate values is essential to clarify your vision, culture, strategy, and design. List the three values that govern your life and organization. Spend time reflecting on why those values are important to you. Next, reach out to a co-worker and express your gratitude for upholding one or more of those values in your workplace or family.
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Bio
Daniel David McKee is an ordained Assemblies of God minister who has served in various ministry roles for over 18 years. He is married to his lovely wife, Jannifer, and they have two children named Joy and Daniel II. Currently, Daniel and Jannifer reside in Gloucester, VA. Daniel serves as the discipleship pastor and leads the School of Supernatural Leadership. He holds a B/A in Biblical Studies and an M/A in organizational leadership and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Strategic Leadership in Ecclesial Leadership from Regent University.