Positive Leadership: Forces Fueling Values Based Leadership

Positive Leadership: Forces Fueling Values Based Leadership

Positive Leadership: The Little Book of IDEO

IDEO decided to put their values in writing.

The result is a slim hardcover called The Little Book of IDEO.

The Little Book of IDEO: Values from Tim Brown

Positive Leadership: The Little Book of IDEO

Positive Leadership: Reducing Stress

Stress levels and physical complaints declined by roughly 15% after employees were directed to spend 10 minutes writing about three things that had gone well each day, says a team of researchers led by Joyce E. Bono of the University of Florida. 


At the end of the work day, the employees logged on to a website where they were asked to write about events large or small, personal or work-related, and explain why they had gone well. The findings suggest that this intervention could have important effects on employee stress and health, the researchers say.


For more, see: http://amj.aom.org/content/early/2012/09/06/amj.2011.0272.abstract

Positive Leadership: Reducing Stress

Positive Leadership: The Importance of Enduring Values

On 8 May 2010 Angela Ahrendts, former ceo of Burberry and now retail chief at Apple, returned to her alma mater, Ball State University in Indiana, to give the commencement address. 

For more, see: http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131105125521-269697626-from-the-heart-the-importance-of-enduring-values?trk=tod-home-art-list-large_0

Positive Leadership: The Importance of Enduring Values

Positive Leadership: Purpose

Positive Leadership: Purpose

Positive Leadership: Do We Have the Right Core Values?

Values are important because they may be the only force that can counter the power of markets and market-based thinking. 

Today’s ever-present markets have their own implicit values, and they can easily overwhelm whatever values leaders want to instil in their organisations. 

To lead responsibly, leaders must commit to clarity, meaningful projects, and bright ethical lines. 

In different ways, each of these helps leaders and organisations respond to the risks and opportunities created by pervasive market forces.

Positive Leadership: Do We Have the Right Core Values?

Positive Leadership: Ten Essentials for Getting Value from Values

Many organisations have statements of mission and values. Unfortunately, most of them sound alike. Who could quibble with the importance of “respect” or “customer focus”? Values statements can seem like passive decoration for walls and the Web, easily ignored. And the words don’t really tell anyone what to do in any specific sense.

But that does not mean that values do not matter. In organisations that are innovative, profitable, and responsible — widespread dialogue about the interpretation and application of values enhances accountability, collaboration, and initiative.

Here are ten essential ingredients that make values work to produce organisational value.

Values are a priority for leaders, invoked often in their messages and on the agenda for management discussions.

The entire work force can enter the conversation; employees are invited to discuss or interpret values and principles in conjunction with their peers, who help ensure alignment.

Principles are codified, made explicit, transmitted in writing in many media, and reviewed regularly to make sure people understand and remember them.

Statements about values and principles invoke a higher purpose, a purpose beyond current tasks that indicates service to society. This purpose can become part of the company’s brand and a source of competitive differentiation.

The words become a basis for on-going dialogue that guides debate when there is controversy or initial disagreement. Decisions are supported by reference to particular values or principles.

Principles guide choices, in terms of business opportunities to pursue or reject, or in terms of investments with a longer time horizon that might seem uneconomic today.

As they become internalized by employees, values and principles can substitute for more impersonal or coercive rules. They can serve as a control system against violations, excesses, or veering off course.

Actions reflecting values and principles — especially difficult choices — become the basis for iconic stories that are easy to remember and retell, reinforcing to employees and the world what the company stands for.

Values are aspirational, signalling long-term intentions that guide thinking about the future.

Principles, purpose, and values are discussed with suppliers, distributors, and other business partners, to promote consistent high standards everywhere.

In short, it’s not the words that make a difference; it’s the conversation. Frequent discussion about organisational values can be engaging and empowering. The organisation becomes a community united by shared purpose, which reinforces teamwork and collaboration. People can be more readily relied on to do the right thing, and to guide their colleagues to do the same, once they buy into and internalise core principles. People can become more aware of the drivers and impact of their behaviour. 

And, as you can see in leading companies, active consideration of core values and purpose can unlock creative potential.

For more, see: http://blogs.hbr.org/2010/06/ten-essentials-for-getting-val/

Positive Leadership: Ten Essentials for Getting Value from Values

Positive Leadership: High Performance Cultures

High-performance cultures deliver sustainable excellence over the long haul.  They do not rely on the latest fad, management trend or leadership gimmick to achieve short-term results. Consistent, long-term performance is based on a set of core values.  

Performers in high-performance cultures want to win just as much as their competitors. But they do so within the confines of values that will not be compromised, regardless of the short-term success that may result by looking the other way, rationalising questionable behaviour or otherwise failing to evaluate the best course of action through the lens of core values.

Many teams and organisations develop values. However, most organisations do not consistently rely on their values to guide decision making, business decisions and how people are treated. The creation of corporate or team values becomes a “check the box” exercise. The organisation pats itself on the back for creating values and proudly displays them on the company website. Yet when you peel back the onion, you find many individuals acting counter to the created values with no repercussions or adverse consequences.  That is, as long as they deliver results. 

True high-performance cultures deliver results and treat people in a manner they can be proud of. In fact, these cultures will not tolerate individuals who do not act from a set of core values.

Positive Leadership: High Performance Cultures

Positive Leadership: What Does Values Based Leadership Mean?

We speak a lot about values-based leadership, but what does it mean?

Whoever we think we are or say we are, our own and others’ perceptions result largely from what we do. That is why, as leaders, it’s important to act from our values.

Of course, we are not wholly defined by our behaviour; sometimes our environment demands that we only express a sanctioned side of ourselves.

We’ve probably all experienced a time when we’ve acted ‘out of character’, for example, we may normally be supportive but on occasion lose our temper.

But the very expression ‘out of character’ suggests that these are anomalous events that do not reflect the way we normally behave.

It’s also important to recognise that how we behave is in part situational. Self-aware leaders know that different times call for different styles. We may need to be tough in driving a legal outcome but empathetic to a colleague who is struggling or when delivering bad news.

Being able to adapt our emotional leadership style does not mean we are being inauthentic; on the contrary, values act as an anchor that allows us to read and respond to situational cues, and respond appropriately.

There’s a lot of talk about values-driven leadership. But what does it mean in reality? And how can we be values-driven leaders?

If you were asked to list your top 10 values, could you reply easily?

Would yours be acceptance, assertiveness, compassion, cooperation, encouragement, equality? Or are you about flexibility, generosity, honesty and humility? The list of possibles is long.

And, if asked, could you show how these values play out in your daily life, and where and how you apply them?

Say you believe in integrity. Then, no matter what the situation, you would ask yourself: how do I respond to this with integrity? You don’t look around to see what others consider acceptable and make a decision relative to them; you make it relative to you.

If a culture is about the way we do things ‘around here’, then the question becomes: how do I do things in accordance with my own values, without being rigid or defending my need to be right?

It’s not always easy. All choices have consequences, including those we refuse to make.

Values are not goals. They’re a deep internal drive and ultimately a shaping statement.

Properly used, values provide a filter that helps us decide what to do and, consequently, who we become. We should live them, not just speak them, and be able to demonstrate our commitment to them in practical terms.

Positive Leadership: What Does Values Based Leadership Mean?

Positive Leadership: Positive Energy!

Positive Leadership: Positive Energy!

Positive Leadership: The Athena Doctrine

At the BRITE '13 conference, John Gerzema, author of the new book "The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the Men Who Think Like Them)Will Rule the Future" talked about his two-year research effort which found that feminine values are ascending all around the world. 

His data shows that countries that think in a more feminine way have a higher per capital GDP and people who think in a more feminine way are nearly twice as optimistic about their future.

For more info on "The Athena Doctrine" visit: http://www.johngerzema.com/

The BRITE conference on brands, innovation and technology is hosted by the Centre on Global Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School. http://briteconference.com and http://globalbrands.org

Positive Leadership: The Athena Doctrine

Positive Leadership: Practice What You Preach

Leah Busque, founder and CEO of TaskRabbit, said that focusing only on larger end goals can be overwhelming. Instead, she focuses on each smaller step.

“I wake up every morning with a singular goal - to push my company as far as I can that day. My company is dedicated to solving a pretty huge problem, and it can be overwhelming to think of the magnitude of this vision. My approach is to choose specific and actionable items to complete each day to move us closer to these goals, and to encourage everyone on my team to do the same. This keeps us on track for accomplishing the big picture,” Busque says.

So, true to the mission of her company, she outsources everything that's not vital - laundry, grocery shopping, house cleaning - to free her up for the important stuff.

"Which brings me to my biggest productivity secret: I love what I do. Knowing TaskRabbit is poised to revolutionise work as we know it is like rocket fuel to me.”

Positive Leadership: Practice What You Preach

Positive Leadership: Why Values-Based Leadership Matters

A thought-provoking look at why values matter more than ever to leaders in our complex, fast-moving world:

Positive Leadership: Why Values-Based Leadership Matters

Positive Leadership: Reaffirming Your Core Values Helps You Perform Better

People who thought deeply about their most important personal values committed 44% fewer errors in a button-pushing task than others, says a research team led by Lisa Legault of Clarkson University. Self-affirmation appears to alert people to their mistakes, allowing them to improve performance. Past research has shown that self-affirmation also offsets the ill effects of mental depletion and boosts self-control.

Positive Leadership: Reaffirming Your Core Values Helps You Perform Better

Positive Leadership: What Makes Apple Great

‘Apple has changed every day since I have been here. But the DNA of the company, the thing that makes our heart beat, is a maniacal focus on making the best products in the world. Not good products, or a lot of products, but the absolute best products in the world. In creating these great products we focus on enriching people’s lives—a higher cause for the product. These are the macro things that drive the company. They haven’t changed. They’re not changing. I will not witness or permit those changes because that’s what makes the company so special….Creativity and innovation are something you can’t flowchart out……Everybody in our company is responsible to be innovative…..We want diversity of thought. We want diversity of style. We want people to be themselves. It’s this great thing about Apple. You don’t have to be somebody else. You don’t have to put on a face when you go to work and be something different. But the thing that ties us all is we’re brought together by values. We want to do the right thing. We want to be honest and straightforward. We admit when we’re wrong and have the courage to change. And there can’t be politics. I despise politics. There is no room for it in a company…….I think we have a responsibility to make products that have a greater good in them……………we want to provide a product that changes people’s lives in some way.’ 

Tim Cook, CEO, Apple (From a BloombergBusinessweek interview) 

Positive Leadership: What Makes Apple Great

Positive Leadership: Values in Business

Management thought leaders share their ideas on values in business.

Featuring: Arturo Condo, David Rock, Buie Seawell, Erin Lehman, Christopher Adkins, Maj. Gen. Frederick B. Hodges, Susan Clancy, and Jonathan Gosling.

Positive Leadership: Values in Business

Positive Leadership: How Values Can Make You A Great Leader

In the wake of many recent high-profile corporate and public sector scandals in the UK and in the USA, many organisations are focused on rebuilding damaged reputations and restoring trust. Leaders' values are increasingly important as businesses seek to become more responsible, accountable and transparent.  

Values-based leaders can help others (employees, customers and other stakeholders) find meaning and purpose in what they do. 

There are very real, commercial benefits to developing and putting into practice values-based leadership in your organisation. As well as increased motivation and engagement, if there had been more true values-based leaders around before the financial crisis, many of those high-profile corporate scandals would never have happened in the first place.

Know yourself

Develop your self-awareness. You may have role models you can learn from, but don't try to copy them. Think about what you stand for and what matters to you.

Identify your business values

Your business values should resonate with your employees, customers, and other stakeholders. When defining or refreshing your values, ask different groups of people for input. Test your values out. Are they meaningful? They should be easy to communicate, easy to understand, and easy to buy into.

Be authentic

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Authentic leaders are true to themselves and operate with integrity both in and out of work.

Be open minded

Consider other points of view. Explore each challenge from a range of perspectives, such as thinking what customers or colleagues think. This helps you and your team gain a broader understanding and make balanced decisions.

Be confident

Self-confidence is not about being arrogant; it's about recognising your strengths and the areas you can improve. You need confidence to be true to your values. 

Have some humility

Remember who you are and be true to your roots. Humility helps you treat others with respect and keeps things in perspective. It's one of the key factors missing from autocratic leadership and a critical element of values-based leadership.

Be a role model 

As a leader, you should aim to live your organisation's values. You've got to walk the talk.

Be brave

Values-based leaders have the courage to speak up and to stand up for what they believe is right. At times this can be difficult.  Often it's a lot easier to keep your head down and choose the easiest path. If you stick up for what's right it encourages others to do the same.

Reward values-based behaviour

Is your reward strategy in line with your values? Recently, some big banks have announced plans to reward employees based on their ability to develop mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with customers and other stakeholders, rather than rewarding a short-term focus on profit. Does your business reward values-based behaviour?

Stick to your values

People will really notice if you don't. If you say you believe in a green agenda and conserving energy but fly everywhere in a private jet, the people around you will become cynical and stop trusting you.  

Positive Leadership: How Values Can Make You A Great Leader

Positive Leadership: The Importance of Company Culture and Clear Values

Lessons on the importance of company culture and clear values:

Lesson 1: Hierarchy and respect are not mutually exclusive

You have to make sure you never confuse the hierarchy that you need for managing complexity with the respect that people deserve. Because that’s where a lot of organisations go off track, confusing respect and hierarchy, and thinking that low on hierarchy means low respect; high on the hierarchy means high respect. So hierarchy is a necessary evil of managing complexity, but it in no way has anything to do with respect that is owed an individual.

Lesson 2: Culture is how a company gets things done

For example, most companies in software get things done through people. So their machinery is people, and to put it in technology terms, people are the hardware and values are the operating system. So the culture starts with people with a common operating system around values and then, once you have that, you can build processes around how you actually get things done on top of that. But clarity around the hardware and the operating system is first and foremost, so it’s about people and values.

Lesson 3: A values-driven culture can be a powerful motivator

People generally want to belong to something of greater purpose that’s larger than they are. They’re just waiting for it to come along. And a culture around values is part of that. People say, ‘I want to be on that team, that club, because they believe in something and I actually believe in that, so I want to belong to that.’

  

Lesson 4: Values can (and must) provide a balance

Think about your values in pairs, and there is a tension or a balance between them. For example; listening and leadership; accountability and generosity; humility and audacity. You’ve got to have the humility to see the world as it is but have the audacity to know why you are trying to make it be different, to imagine the way it could be. 

Lesson 5: Balanced values can give clarity to out-sized goals

This goes back to audacity and humility. You’ve got to be audacious enough to set goals that make you stretch and give you clarity of vision and purpose. But you have to have the humility to know that this work is hard, and that you might not get there. If you start off talking about all the reasons that you’re not going to get there, you’re not going to get there. And so it’s holding that balance of not being reckless, but also having a huge element of fearlessness.

What are important lessons you’ve learned about company culture and values?

Positive Leadership: The Importance of Company Culture and Clear Values

Positive Leadership: The Integrity Dividend

“(Organisations) where employees strongly believed their managers followed through on promises and demonstrated the values they preached were substantially more profitable than those whose managers scored average or lower.” 

Tony Simons, Cornell University, The Integrity Dividend

Positive Leadership: The Integrity Dividend

Positive Leadership: Become a Man of Value

Positive Leadership: Become a Man of Value