The heart building a culture in your organization is your values. Your cultural values. The bottom line principles that are non-negotiable. The beliefs and ideals that make you well, you. The things that you will not compromise on to do business your way.
The thing is, it’s easy to have principles and stand by values when times are good. It’s easy to have integrity and be kind and be generous when you are motoring along. You can say you believe in ‘X, Y or Z’ when no one is asking you to prove it, but what happens when life puts you on the spot? What happens when you’re asked to demonstrate that value?
When we’re under pressure, that’s when the rubber truly hits the road. That’s when your true values show through. You see, a value is only really a value when it’s put to the test. A principle is only a true principle when it’s kept during a season of pressure when it costs you. With the current global crisis, it’s about to cost you.
This is a season of pressure and cultural values are about to get tested to the extreme.
It’s time to take stock. It’s time to remind yourself what you stand for, why your company exists. Remind yourself what is truly important in being you. Be really clear about your values and the behaviours that reflect those values so you can make the tough decisions that you are going to have to make. So you can make the right decisions that need to be made during this strange time. Decisions that reflect who you are as an organisation. Now is the time to stand up and stand out.
Check out this great example of values based leadership from Gravity Payments CEO.
Stay safe, think differently, create boldly, change the world!