Do Your Corporate Values Need an Oil Change?

Whether we're the DIY type or rely on a mechanic, most of us are well conditioned to practice regular maintenance on our cars: oil changes, tire pressure check, break pad check, and everything else on the 99 point diagnostic list.  Some of us have learned the hard way the cost of not doing these things.  Do we as leaders, though, show as much wisdom and discipline when it comes to maintaining corporate values?

The development of values is ripe with consultants, retreats, and focus groups.  We spend much money and time coming up with the perfect list.  Do we really have to perform preventative maintenance in between the rare "purchases" of a new set of values?  Yes.

No matter how often values are fueled with positive reinforcement and sound marketing, they can become stale.  They can become platitudes, something that's been used way too often to still be interesting or thoughtful.  This danger is progressive.  First, team members may stop listening and zone out; the culture becomes unguided.  As the platitudes become more of an irritation, the cynics surface turning the culture to indifference.  People just don't care.  If leaders continue to repeat the platitude, rebellion is the final byproduct; the culture can become hostile and even destructive.

Fortunately, good preventative maintenance of the corporate values can keep the values fresh, dynamic, and interesting.  First, speak of your values in aspirational terms.  Goals need to be bounded, realistic, and measurable, but values should pull at the heart strings.  Leaders need to speak in terms of the ultimate realization of the value, in a superlative sense, to inspire their teams.  It's great to cite examples of the value in action, but pretending the value is demonstrated 100% of the time erodes the credibility of that value and the leader.

Second, the company's grade on a value needs to be based on its actions, not its intentions.  After an executive cited three times at a customer conference that our intentions were admirable despite the varied results, a customer finally commented, "We don't care about your intentions; we only care about your actions."  Team members that interact with the customers know this all to well.  Talking about actions focuses on the good and the bad; the successes and the improvements yet to come, keeping the values in check with reality which keeps them fresh.

Third, do a thorough diagnostic by asking the tough questions.  Looking at those actions, where did we fall short?  Where has fault been rationalized?  Where has blame been deflected?  Where does our own ego blind us to the gaps between intent and performance?  Where have we settled for "good enough"?  These can be uncomfortable questions, but discomfort emphasizes the aspirational side of the value and what has yet to be achieved.

Fourth, beware driving too far on one analogy (like this automotive example).  Former athletes love sports analogies (much to the dismay of this non-athlete).  Sticking with just one analogy starts the process of zoning out, particularly with those who do not relate to the analogy.  Be wary of analogies that overly simplify the value or the situation.  There are many nuances and complexity in the everyday work life that just aren't covered by a football play, an orchestral score, or a crop rotation.  Simplification can lead to trivialization which in turn leads to the "P" word, platitudes.

Platitudes emerge from familiarity which emerges from predictability.  Don't be afraid to throw in some surprises.  Intentionally find a new way of speaking of the values.  My favorite example of using an unexpected quote to talk about a value and maybe generate a little discomfort is Ernest Hemingway on integrity:

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk."

It's maybe not the wisest advice to follow in every situation, but it does give me pause to think about the consistency of my words and actions.  Hopefully these suggestions give your corporate values a longer life and a little smoother ride (here ends the automotive analogy).