Those who know me well—or have worked with me—understand that I am passionate about the role core values play in an organization. Whether your company is for-profit or nonprofit, core values are the foundation that shapes culture, decision-making, and long-term success.
“Authentic core values create alignment, inspire employees, and set a company apart in the marketplace.” – Brené Brown
But having core values isn’t enough. They need to be lived, reinforced, and integrated into daily operations. Here are some quick yet powerful tips to help you maximize their impact.
5 Ways to Maximize the Impact of Your Core Values
1. Speak About Them Frequently
Your core values should be front and centre. Don’t bury them in a company handbook or a website footer. Talk about them in meetings, town halls, and one-on-one conversations. Reinforce them through storytelling and recognition programs. The more they are discussed, the more they become ingrained in your organization’s DNA.
2. Use Them When Onboarding New Employees
Use them as a strategy to orient and onboard new employees. New hires come in with fresh eyes and ears and are more open to hearing and considering how to apply them immediately upon joining your firm.
3. Use Them When Conducting Stay Interviews
Stay interviews are an underutilized and powerful way to connect with employees beyond performance reviews and training or coaching sessions. When used effectively, they become a binding agent between the employee and company, forging deep trust-based work relationships, which are anchored in the firm’s core values.
Check out these links that provide valuable information on how to conduct them:
- What Is a Stay Interview? 13 Questions to Ask
- The Benefits Stay Interviews Can Bring to Your Company
4. Lead by Example
You, as a leader, must be the champion of your core values. People don’t just listen to what you say—they observe your actions. Live out the values you expect from others. When employees see leadership embodying the values, they are more likely to follow suit. If you don’t believe in and practice them yourself, don’t do this because you’ll risk coming across as disingenuous (perhaps this is not the right organization for you to be part of).
5. Reassess and Adapt
Core values aren’t static. As your organization grows and evolves, periodically review your values to ensure they still align with your mission and culture. If they no longer apply, revise them. Values should be relevant, meaningful, and actionable. Caveat – don’t revise them just to tie in with trends. If your core values have been the foundation for the organization based on the founder’s vision and mission, be very careful when modifying them as they can permanently transform the culture – for better or worse.
Walk the Talk
At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. Who you are and what you do will always have a stronger impact than what you say. Make your core values the foundation of all that you do, and they will naturally guide your organization toward long-term success and create a healthy and vibrant corporate culture.
Recent Comments