The one person every team needs to activate your values.

An article in which I make connections between spies in Cuba, microwave ray-guns, airport queues, herd mentality, the 'inflexible few' and... how you can meaningfully activate your company values.

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In 2016 the US government pulled half its spies and bureaucrats from the US Embassy in Havana when they reported feeling an intense pressure in their head. Many felt dizzy and nauseous. Some heard loud noises and had an unusual sensitivity to light.

A year later an embassy worker in Moscow experienced the same symptoms and over the following years US embassy workers in China, Washington, and dozens of other locations have come down with what’s now called ‘Havana Syndrome’.

An early theory was a mysterious direct-energy microwave device, but the chances of one unidentified adversary coordinating attacks across the globe and using a totally unknown weapon, just to cause a few migraines, seems very unlikely.

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Psychologists think it’s much more likely this is an example of stress induced mass hysteria. Which might sound as far fetched as microwave ray-guns but, in small, everyday ways, it’s more common than you’d think.

We automatically follow the actions of others ALL THE TIME.

Social scientists call this: Herd Mentality Bias.

For example: Have you ever joined the back of a queue as it spontaneously formed at an airport, even when there was no instruction to do so? Or failed to voice concerns in a meeting when the majority coalesced around an ill-informed idea?

We are so wired to follow the herd, 70% of us (according to multiple studies) will go along with a wrong answer given by the group - even when we know it’s wrong!

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I’m sharing this because I just started a new project with a new client and I can’t find anyone who can recite all 8 company values... despite an intense pride in being a values-focused company.

I know it’s a lot but science tells us we are all capable of remembering at least 8 things.

This is a very common version of herd mentality!

When the herd can’t recite the values (or are unwilling to admit it) we are more likely to profess ignorance - whether we know them or not, with obvious consequences.

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Luckily, it’s not hard to reverse this... but you do need to activate an ‘inflexible few’ who are willing and able to buck the trend.

These are the people who:

• Will confidently recite each value and any associated behaviours.
• If asked they’ll tell you the value that resonates most with them and why.
• Can easily share a story that demonstrates how they recently lived at least one value.

And they inspire others to do the same.

Having one of these people is your team is all you need... at least to start with. The ‘indifferent many’ (the herd) will always follow a member of the ‘inflexible few’ (read my article on how the inflexible few sway the indifferent many ).

Have you activated your values-loving, herd-mustering ‘inflexible few’?

And, in your team, are you that person?

Jason.

I've spent the last 20+ years leading the planet's most ambitious and innovative culture transformations. I've helped clients define and activate purpose and values, see the impact of limiting beliefs, build leadership programs and I've been deeply involved in the nitty gritty of everyday culture change.

My clients are culture heavyweights, and include Microsoft, HSBC, Nordea, Netflix and many others and I've worked in more than 30 countries.

If you'd like to chat about how I might be able to help you, I'd love to set up a time to talk. Connect here on Linkedin or via [email protected]