Set the Example by Aligning Actions with Shared Values

This week I had an opportunity to speak with a Chief Learning Officer from a well known Silicon Valley company. As we discussed various talent and learning development topics, the conversation turned to the failure of corporate leaders to consistently walk out the values they espouse on a daily basis. This got me to asking, “Just how often do leaders put forth the effort to articulate their values while failing to create alignment with day-to-day corporate practices?”

While I can not quote exact statistics, what I can say is that this phenomenon occurs on a daily basis throughout various workplaces. So how can you and I do our part to align our espoused values with our shared values? Below are a few suggestions you may wish to try over the next week. Please shoot me an email with your experiences with the following:

• Create alignment around key values
• Speak about shared values with enthusiasm and confidence-even drama
• Teach and reinforce through symbols and artifacts
• Lead by storytelling, put storytelling on your meeting agendas
• Ask questions and keep score
• Do a personal audit