1.5 - About University

Step ➌Communicatingand modelingvalues➟❑❑❑The most powerful form of communicating is not what is said; rather, it is modeling andcongruence (“walking the talk”).Communicate in ways that are congruent with your stated values.Use stories and examples to illustrate values and make them concrete for people.➟ ➟Step ➍Aligningsystems andbehaviorsStep ➎Measuring andfollowingthrough➟➟❑ Align the accountability process and performance measures with the values.❑ Align systems like training, compensation, and recruitment with the values.❑ Set goals to close gaps between values as stated and as practiced.❑ Measure success against stated values.❑ Consider using a values audit (see example).E XAMPLES OF VALUE STATEMENTSTo help you get a sense of the power and impact of values, search the Web sites of organizationsyou admire and find their value and belief statements. Here are two examples of valuesbasedorganizations, one commercial, one not-for-profit.Example 1:“The Body Shop produced an externally and independently verified Values Report in its threevalue areas—Social, Environmental, and Animal Protection. You can view the report, summaryand methodology, all on-line. [We] are proud to announce that out of the 100 internationalcompany reports evaluated by SustainAbility for the United Nations EnvironmentalProgramme, our Values Report scored the highest rating for the second year running.SustainAbility refers to the Values Report 1997 as ‘…unusual in its efforts to integrate socialand environmental reporting with considerable stakeholder engagement.’”Example 2:The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts diplays its values statementprominently on its Web site:“Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting is based on a core set of values that are found in the GirlGuide/Girl Scout Promise and Law. Each Girl Guide and Girl Scout promises to do her best toher faith and to others, and in so doing she realizes her fullest potential as a responsible citizen.”H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“Employees … are very critical when wide gaps exist between (stated) values and actions.They watch to see how stated values are reinforced and how these values influence actions.”—James Kouzes and Barry Posner, THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGEDon’t be concerned that terms such as values, beliefs, principles, and philosophy are often usedinterchangeably. Authors tend to protect their definitions. Stephen Covey, for example, downplaysthe term values in favor of the term principles. He writes that, “Principles are not values.56 SECTION 2 TOOLS FOR BIG-PICTURE THINKING