Leaders initiate and sustain change, and we grow leaders.
The first two are fairly straight forward. I’ll write about them another time.
Today, let’s address growing leaders.
The process of growing leaders is one of instilling values.
Values are behaviors you can measure.
Jim Collins of Good to Great fame wrote that the primary characteristic of great businesses was that they had clear values, and they were rigorous in living by them.
It didn’t so much matter what those values were, but that they clearly communicated those values and lived by them.
Most businesses employ less than 500 employees.
Research has shown that most of these businesses have not discerned their organization’s value and put them in writing.
Consequently, it’s assumed employees should know the “right” way to behave.
This represents phenomenal untapped productivity.
If you worry that your employees will make bad decisions when you’re not there, ask yourself whether you’re clear about the values you use to govern your business.
Have you put them in writing?
Are you consistent with how you apply them?
If you haven’t invested in clarifying your values, you’re expecting your employees to read your mind.
As Dr. Phils asks, “How that working?”
I’ll write another time about applying and instilling values.
In the interim, give some thought to what values govern your decisions.
If you’ve already done this work, please share a little about one or more of your organization’s values.
How do they impact the company’s culture?
How do they impact the way you lead?
To prime the pump at The Storytellers Channel our primary value is Respect.
Respect for ourselves.
Respect for others.
Respect for the work we do.
I look forward to your response.