Core values drive the realization of organizational goals
Shared core values define, for a large part, the organisation’s core identity. They are therefore an immense driver of cohesion, positive culture, alignment and results. They help to define the ways of working, what we care about, what we promise our employees and customers and where we set our priorities. Therefore, companies that have well defined and lived core values perform better than those who don’t.
Waste of resources
Many organisations have defined their core values, but far fewer have actually implemented them. Core values that exist just in documents or statements on the wall are a waste, because the benefits of core values are only realized when core values live in the hearts and minds of each employee and are acted upon every day.
Example
InContext supports organizations in finding and defining their core values, in line with their heritage, raison d’être, business model and culture. We help leaders live their core values and serve as an example to others. We support people in translating core values into their daily job and take decisions with the core values in mind. We also help to insert core values into the key processes of the organisation, so that they are embedded in primary processes like sales, production and service, but especially in people processes, like performance management, recruitment and learning. We also strive to develop tools that keep the core values fresh, fun, exciting and close to the heart of all employees.
Live your company’s core-values
In an organization that lives its core-values, staff discuss them at work, try to apply them and give each other feedback on whether or not they are living up to those values. Core values, in an organization like this, help to align behavior, maintain standards and connect to the vision of the organization. They are also a source of pride and cohesion in teams.
Core-values game Align
In order to realize this, leaders, managers and team leaders, cascaded throughout the whole organization, must keep on engaging with people about the organization’s core values.
Align helps this process by translating and transposing the core values of your organization into the player’s work place. Players are presented with realistic situations they recognize from their own experience as well as those of colleagues or their managers.
These situations create challenges and dilemmas that are based specifically on the organization. The game relates the player’s choices to the degree to which the choice is in line with the organization’s values.
Align is a business game that triggers dialogue between staff members about concrete challenges at work and inspires them to put the core values of the organization into practice every day.
Values that are embedded in the organization form the connection between employees and the organization. Lived values contribute to achieving organizational goals.
“The core values came to life for the first time, no longer a corporate thought, but a new way of working.”
What to expect?
01. Connects values with desired behavior
Align provides direct insight into how behavior in line with the core values influences the success of the organization, but also what the consequences are of non-compliant behavior.
03. Strenghten the connection
Connection between staff is created by co-operating to investigate what desirable behavior looks like and how this reinforces the success of the organization. Employees are inspired to work together on strengthening their organizational culture.
02. Active dialogue
Participants are challenged to discuss and reflect on the organizational culture and the behavioral adaptations they need to make during the process of playing a number of rounds of Align. Participants have fun as they confront their work challenges and dilemmas and experience how core values can function as a moral compass.
04. From paper to practice
Participants are challenged to co-operate in solving dilemmas mirroring the day-to-day activities of the organization. After the game, the participants share insights with their own team as to how the core values can contribute to team objectives.
