How can you develop a shared language for team values?

With my experience, I see clear and honest communication with team is very important to set tone and alignment of values that you wish to see in a team. Most of the time leaders or organization force fit the values which lead a confused team

To develop a shared language for team values, I’d initiate a workshop to identify and understand our core beliefs collaboratively. Creating a team values charter and a visible poster would serve as constant reminders and reference points, emphasizing our core and aspirational values. Promoting open dialogue and cooperation is fundamental to comprehending diverse viewpoints and fostering mutual respect and trust. The essence is to cultivate a shared understanding and alignment on values guiding our actions and decisions, ensuring they’re consistently reflected in our everyday interactions.

Values follows vision and precedes Goals. Acts as inspiration to determine the path ahead. In TL have spent extensive amount of time in making our values relevant to Putting India to work and set the tone of how we achieve our goals. You cant take a cookie cutter approach to values, urge founders and leaders not relegate this job to your Marketing or corp comm or HR department. This is your job and your tone to set. And once its been tested for its ability to be easily understood and emulate leave no stone unturned to communicate what it means a) by leading my example b) my celebrating each and every employee who exhibits this value c) by communicating repeatedly (erring on the side) why it matters and how it helps get to the destination.

Throughout our glorious evolutionary journey from being in a cave to gathering food to now farming and exchanging produce, coming together for a unified purpose and a well defined role and structure where every member of the team brings in their specialised skill set to maximum advantage to the team and final outcome has been seen as a great tool to unify people. Echoing values and bringing a purpose redefines and shapes mindset which makes seemingly impossible outcomes possible merely by reinforcing timely the ethos and values and behaviours individuals exhibit while enroute to a common well understood unified purpose.

Simplicity is the key to creating shared values. I loved working at Staples call centers in the late 90s because of the clear vision that was laid out. I was recently talking with another Staples alum and both of us recall that mission statement 20 years later because of its simplicity and clarity, “Reducing the cost and hassle of running your office.” Those few words made clear who our customer was and our responsibility to make things easy and cost effective. Our path to get there, “Let the people , who are closest to the work, make things work better.” A clear direction to listen to and empower frontline teams. Today, at GE HealthCare I follow that example by having our teams focus on “Making a difference in moments that matter.”

Having clearly defined team value provides a guidance to the team in the event of wavering situations. It acts as duiding framework which should be reiterated time to time and be well versed with all the team members.

Narrative Exploration: Encourage team members to share personal stories related to their values. These anecdotes reveal underlying values in a relatable and emotional context. This approach fosters empathy and strengthens team cohesion, going beyond a conventional values discussion.

The values you can identify and write down in a well-facilitated session, are a starting point, but not the finish line – apart from the fact, that there is no finish line in building a team culture. What happens next – you want everyone to align, to agree or for now – just to “live” with the values written on the flipchart. Next, you go to your daily work, and you test the values. Do we live by them? Do we respect the boundaries? Why and when do we transgress what has been agreed? Then the team meets again, and you reflect – what do you want to stop – continue – start. And so on until you really really feel connected by the values to your colleagues. That’s when the team is ready to do its best work!

The best way to define ideal values is to capture them in statements not single words. Values captured in one word does little to inspire and douses a team in unoriginality. Trust. Adaptability. Honest. All great. But lifeless. We see these words on corporate walls across the world. We encourage our teams to create value statements instead. For example: - Have the team's back - Total quality obsession - Talk to me first These are not only more inspiring and original to the team. But they are also more defined, clear, and can be tied to behavior. Therefore, we can keep each other accountable, and it can become integrated into how we show up as a team.

The next step of defining team values, both individually and collectively, is crucial for fostering a cohesive and high-performing team environment. By engaging team members in envisioning their ideal team dynamics and addressing potential challenges, the process becomes more inclusive and effective. The utilization of frameworks like the Barrett Values Centre or the Lencioni Model can provide a structured approach to assess and prioritize these values. This method not only helps in identifying gaps and conflicts but also assists in establishing a clear and compelling vision for the team's aspirations and expectations, thereby setting the stage for meaningful and productive collaboration

To align team's values with your actions is the most practical approach to understand the overall values of the team. As a branch head in a small branch in rural area, my first task was to get attuned to the culture and belief of the people residing in that area. My staff was also local. It made my task easier as I wanted my bank/branch to be part of the community. This was a temple town so few beliefs and rituals became part of daily life of the people. We aligned our business strategy accordingly which staff could understand very well. Instead forming my own style I aligned myself in their value system inculcating our requirements. Thus the shared values made the branch 2nd most important branch amongst 16 banks there.

Leading by example is the best way to lead. Throughout my experience of people management, I have learnt to hold tightly to this approach. Your team whether colleagues or subordinates would adapt to good examples and you should do the same. Improving your individual values and goals will help you inculcate the same within your team. But slowly and through practice.

In a global corporate culture, a team could comprise members from different cultures, backgrounds, experiences, skill-sets and ethnicity. With such diversity in the team, it is imperative for the leader to establish not only an effective and common means of communication, but also identifying means to build a high-performance team. A strong and ethical code of conduct, free flow of ideas, equal treatment for all is quintessential, but the leaders also must infuse energy, incentivize good performances and a personal bond in the team definitely helps super-charge the team performance.

Values-Driven Decision Framework: Develop a framework that incorporates team values into decision-making. Use it as an ethical compass during challenges. Values-Infused Communication: Ensure values shine through in both internal and external communication. Consistency builds trust. Values-Based Metrics: Rethink success metrics to include values alignment, not just traditional outcomes. Track ethical practices and well-being. Continuous Values Integration: Regularly revisit and update values to stay relevant. Encourage sharing of values-driven stories. Values Ambassadors: Appoint values champions within the team to inspire and guide others. Their presence reinforces values importance in daily operations.

Merely jotting down the values and then forgetting about it will not serve any purpose. One should align these values with team's action, activities and assigning responsibilities. Any deviation should be strictly dealt upon and confusion should be readily addressed.

The strategy to continuously review and refine team values is vital. Encouraging feedback and recognition among team members based on shared values promotes open communication and respect. Celebrating successes and discussing challenges related to these values fosters a dynamic, reflective environment. Using tools like Team Retrospectives or Health Checks for periodic evaluations helps align actions with values and identify improvement areas. This approach ensures that the team's values remain relevant, guiding both individual and collective growth.

Living Values Repository: Evolve values into a dynamic repository with real-life examples, making them relatable. Values Mentorship: Encourage mentorship among team members to share how to live by the team's values, fostering peer-to-peer learning. Values-Centric Innovation: Promote innovative approaches aligned with team values, infusing creativity into values integration. Values-Driven Recognition: Establish a rewards system for values-aligned behavior, motivating others. External Stakeholder Integration: Seek external perspectives to evaluate values alignment, fostering accountability and relevance.

Team management/leadership is a two-way street. You have to be careful also to (at least slightly) align your values and actions with those of your team. You also have to review and refine your values over time to better adapt to your team so the process of learning and growth can be sustainable and "healthy" over a longer period of time. Additionally, although there are many tools that can make your life easier, never forget and underestimate the possibility to get direct feedback from your team member. You will often learn much more and get more sincere feedback during an informal socializing (like drinks after work) than through various questionnaires or other sort of more formal feedback collection.

I once had a team member I hired from North East. She was new to Delhi and was not well versed with English or Hindi. While she could understand the directions at superficial level, I would always struggle to explain things in detail to her. But she was willing to learn, so continued with my effort. With time we overcame with language barrier, continued to work with each other and she turned out to be one of the best resource I ever had.

Empathy and a good listening can be a tool for anyone to understand and gain acceptance in a team. Leading a global team from different culture and countries, it is more important to understand every team member and ensure their behavior and values are aligned to organization values and culture theme.

When you have a multicultural team it is crucial to be explicit about the values and ways of working expected. Team members bring their own culture to the table and will unconsciously expect others to behave in a way that is appropriate in their culture. This often leads to miscommunication and mistrust particularly when you have a high context culture interacting with a low context culture or another high context culture. High context means that there are a lot of unsaid messages that are understood within that culture but that cannot be decrypted from people who are not from that culture. Being explicit about expected communication norms and behaviours in your team will avoid these misunderstandings and enhance team engagement.

Drawing from my extensive experience working with varied cross-functional teams, I've realized that developing a common framework for team values is a complex yet rewarding endeavor. To develop such a framework elements like Cultural Integration, Empathetic Leadership, Team Development, and a robust Feedback Strategy are crucial in fostering enriched team dynamics and a unified set of values. I recognize that the formation and alignment of team values transcend typical business procedures, anchoring deeply in human interactions. This is why I feel elements like Empathetic Leadership and Feedback Strategy are paramount among others.

Drawing from my global experiences, I often recall a poignant moment during my travels. While interacting with a local team in a country significantly different from my base in London, I recognized a universal truth. Despite diverse backgrounds and cultures, the essence of shared values transcended boundaries. It reminded me of a principle Tony Hughes often emphasized: the human element. The process of creating and aligning team values is not merely a business exercise but a deeply human one. It’s about tapping into those innate desires to belong, contribute, and make an impact. Whether in sales, leadership, or personal interactions, it’s this shared language of values that truly builds bridges and fosters unity.