Case Study #19: How to (Not) Communicate Your Values
One bad example from the corporate world.
A new manager = a lot of expectations.
How will they be? What new do they bring?
Being a new manager in the team is not an easy task. People look at you between fingers. They don’t know how they should or should not behave.
A good idea is to communicate your values. Tell them what you’re about. But this simple thing could be done wrongly. Mathias put his team off. Here is how:
Mathias was an efficient type of person. To make it easier for his team, he created a PowerPoint presentation about his values and style of working. His core values were:
I am respected. I am honest. I am strict. I lead by example.
I am a winner. I want to be the best. I believe in myself. I have an attitude I can do it.
I keep my word. I am result-oriented. I am efficient.
His team read his presentation and cringed.
Why do you think they did not appreciate his efforts and communication?
Why is it important to communicate your values
Values make interactions easier. When you know what others are after and about, you have clarity on what they expect and what you should or should not say or do.
They help build relationships and make decisions and collaboration possible.
So, Mathias had a really good intention. He wanted to tell his team:
“This is me. This is what I like and am about.”
Values touch on personal integrity. And we all know how wonderful it is to know people behave consistently.
On top, values inspire and influence others positively. Express your values such as attention to detail or quality. When you deliver feedback about these two, people can learn from you, get better, and gain more knowledge.
Values foster authenticity, understanding, and connections.
How do they tell you to communicate your values?
You have probably heard these overused phrases such as:
Encourage open dialogue
Tell stories
Promote collaboration
Use clear language
Connect values and purpose
But how do you do it in practice?
With a first decision or meeting, all pretty values are gone. You don’t answer questions straight, you don’t talk about purpose (“Why do we have to do it? Because we have to.”)
The terrible lack of alignment and actions is what is creeping around offices all over the world.
A mismatched team and organizational culture is another mess that managers have to clean. Let’s not even touch misinterpretation and miscommunication.
Buzzword fatigue is a real thing.
Lead by example
Provide training and development
Feedback
Supportive environment
I am tired just by reading it. The trouble is that it is not enough to send values in PowerPoint to the team and expect this to be done.
Mathias was quite naive in doing that. The effect was rather the opposite. The team laughed at him and did not take him seriously.
Don’t make such a mistake.
How should you communicate your values?
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