Making Values Stick
As I discussed in my last blog, great leaders show an unwavering commitment to a clear set of values. It is relatively easy to have a set of values. We all do. The trick is to be clear on those values and to use those values as a means to mobilize others.
I hope you tried the exercise that I suggested to better clarify your own values or "leadership voice". If you didn’t click through to my last blog and try it.
Here is the next step--another short exercise that will help you determine if you are making your values stick. If you do this exercise you will be making your values exceptionally clear to all around you. Before the exercise, you’ll need a little background.
Kouses and Posner of the Leadership Challenge fame say that there are five things that leaders need to be conscious of in order to make their values clear:
- How Leaders use their calendars -- where they choose to spend their time and what they pay attention to.
- Critical incidents and how they react to them. This is where the rubber truly hits the road. It is so important I will give you an example. I was in a charity event last year where Isadore Sharp, the founder of the Four Season’s spoke and entertained questions. I asked him how he was able to create an organization where absolutely everyone is so service oriented. Here’s what he said:
"In the Four Seasons, everyone is guided by the Golden Rule: in Sharp's words, “to deal with others – partners, customers, coworkers, everyone – as we would want them to deal with us.” He further went on to tell us a story about September 11th. He said that the day after September 11th all hotel chains were completely empty. Occupancy which had been at an all time high, nose dived. Very quickly, layoffs were the order of the day in the hotel industry. Mr Sharp and his leadership team met and debated the best course of action. The Four Seasons leadership team chose not to follow in their competitor’s footsteps. They followed the "Golden Rule" and they kept their staff. They treated their staff as they would want to be treated themselves. Mr Sharp said that it is the Four Seasons’ handling of critical incidents like this that drive staff loyalty and service orientation." - The language they use. Great leaders choose words and use questions in a very deliberate way. They use their words and questions to focus attention.
- The stories they tell. People remember stories better than they remember anything else. A leaders stories can change culture as they are passed from person to person.
- What leaders measure. Of course measurement supports performance. In my experience great leaders who can do the top four things, pay attention to this but they do it after they have taken care of the first four.
Now for the exercise. As you enter this week on Monday morning, take five minutes to write your three leadership adjectives (your leadership “voice” or leadership values) at the top of a piece of paper. Now write “calendar, critical incidents, language, stories, measurement” down the left hand side. Draw a line down the page beside these five words. As you move through your week, take the page with you and note your observations about your own behaviour in each of these five areas. At end of the week when you look at your page, you will find some consistencies with your leadership voice and some inconsistencies. Clean up a few inconsistencies each week and you will have made your values stick. People will want to follow you.
Sandra Oliver - January 18, 2009
Filed under:
leadership,
greatness,
business strategy,
managing change
Sandra Oliver
Sandra Oliver Sandra Oliver is a leadership coach and consultant with more than 17 years experience in Corporate HR leadership roles. Her expertise includes change management and succession planning. Sandra is the founder of IMPACT Consulting Inc.
