Comments on: Is it Time to Tune Up Your Firm’s Values? http://artpetty.com/2008/12/04/is-it-time-to-tune-up-your-firm%e2%80%99s-values/ Art Petty on Leadership, Management and Professional Development Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:08:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: admin http://artpetty.com/2008/12/04/is-it-time-to-tune-up-your-firm%e2%80%99s-values/comment-page-1/#comment-267 admin Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:52:11 +0000 http://artpetty.com/?p=480#comment-267 Stephen, thanks much for your insightful and well-experienced comments. I agree with all that you say, with the caveat that I would still write them down. Somewhere. Like Deming, I don't put much credence in exhortations, and the framed values are the archetype for that situation. Perhaps the medium could be some for of living Values document...(or something more creative). The writing is not where the value on values is created, that's for certain. It's in the discussions and in specific instances where they are called upon for help in guiding a decision or evaluating behavior. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you on future posts! -Art Stephen, thanks much for your insightful and well-experienced comments. I agree with all that you say, with the caveat that I would still write them down. Somewhere. Like Deming, I don’t put much credence in exhortations, and the framed values are the archetype for that situation. Perhaps the medium could be some for of living Values document…(or something more creative). The writing is not where the value on values is created, that’s for certain. It’s in the discussions and in specific instances where they are called upon for help in guiding a decision or evaluating behavior. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you on future posts! -Art

]]> By: Stephen Billing http://artpetty.com/2008/12/04/is-it-time-to-tune-up-your-firm%e2%80%99s-values/comment-page-1/#comment-266 Stephen Billing Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:19:45 +0000 http://artpetty.com/?p=480#comment-266 Hi there, I agree with you about the problems with corporate values. I have a different perspective on the causes of the problems. You say that the solution is better crafting of the values statements. The assumption in most values work is that it is useful to articulate and write values down. To me, the usefulness in work on values is in the discussion it stimulates. But I think it is a fruitless pursuit to even try to write the values down on a poster or other artefact, and so the solution of better wordsmithing is not the avenue to pursue, in my opinion. I have written about this extensively on my blog. The very act of writing the values on a poster gives the artefact some value in its own right, that I think is misplaced. Values are global statements of uplifting intention. However, they still have to be negotiated in practical situations in specific circumstances by employees. That is why attempts to get specific about individual situations are doomed to failure. There is no way that the values could anticipate all the potential individual situations that may occur. That is why people tend to go for general statements that you rightly dismiss as unworkable. However, the alternative of putting together specific statements of behaviours that would be demonstrated in living the values is also unworkable. So what is workable? Discussions about values and specific situations are useful in themselves as they create new understanding of the work people are doing together. They do not need to be written down. Hi there,
I agree with you about the problems with corporate values. I have a different perspective on the causes of the problems. You say that the solution is better crafting of the values statements.

The assumption in most values work is that it is useful to articulate and write values down.

To me, the usefulness in work on values is in the discussion it stimulates. But I think it is a fruitless pursuit to even try to write the values down on a poster or other artefact, and so the solution of better wordsmithing is not the avenue to pursue, in my opinion. I have written about this extensively on my blog. The very act of writing the values on a poster gives the artefact some value in its own right, that I think is misplaced.

Values are global statements of uplifting intention. However, they still have to be negotiated in practical situations in specific circumstances by employees. That is why attempts to get specific about individual situations are doomed to failure. There is no way that the values could anticipate all the potential individual situations that may occur. That is why people tend to go for general statements that you rightly dismiss as unworkable. However, the alternative of putting together specific statements of behaviours that would be demonstrated in living the values is also unworkable.

So what is workable? Discussions about values and specific situations are useful in themselves as they create new understanding of the work people are doing together. They do not need to be written down.

]]> By: Art Petty http://artpetty.com/2008/12/04/is-it-time-to-tune-up-your-firm%e2%80%99s-values/comment-page-1/#comment-260 Art Petty Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:01:53 +0000 http://artpetty.com/?p=480#comment-260 Meg, I completely agree. This can be a great team exercise to work through and the end result is likely a nice alignment around values that make sense....that support the mission. Thanks much for your comment! -Art Meg, I completely agree. This can be a great team exercise to work through and the end result is likely a nice alignment around values that make sense….that support the mission. Thanks much for your comment! -Art

]]> By: Meg Bear http://artpetty.com/2008/12/04/is-it-time-to-tune-up-your-firm%e2%80%99s-values/comment-page-1/#comment-259 Meg Bear Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:32:23 +0000 http://artpetty.com/?p=480#comment-259 In the past if I have found the values statements of the company too vague I have tightened it up for my own team. This helps to resolve the issues with the value statement while still supporting the high level mission. I would encourage managers (and HR professionals) to consider empowering themselves vs. throwing up their hands if they don't find what they need. In the past if I have found the values statements of the company too vague I have tightened it up for my own team. This helps to resolve the issues with the value statement while still supporting the high level mission.

I would encourage managers (and HR professionals) to consider empowering themselves vs. throwing up their hands if they don’t find what they need.

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