I have worked with a variety of organizations on identifying their organizational values as a starting point for strategic planning. I almost always start this process with a personal values exercise, identifying an individual’s core values. As I wrote about in a previous post, “The (Dis)Connection between Personal and Organizational Values”, there is a link between personal values and organizational values.
Over the years I have started to see direct patterns between those values and successful organizations. I have determined that these can be distilled into three stages: attitude, behaviour, and practice.
Attitude is based in the values of a person or organization. It is the mindset that one brings to a conversation, it influences a viewpoint, opinion, or an approach to work. Attitude affects the way in which humans choose to live their lives.
Behaviour is the actions which result from the attitude we have, the way we conduct ourselves, the way in which we act in the world. In an organization, this includes how we interact with colleagues or with customers or visitors. Behaviours are the decisions and activities we choose to engage in.
Practices are the systems and structures that support the application of behaviour and attitude. Practices should demonstrate an alignment with the organization’s values and strategies. This could include policy and procedure, human resource management and communications planning. These are platforms supporting the ways in which we carry out business in an organization.
When you put attitude → behaviour → practice together mindfully they start to inform organizational culture. They are the values, actions, and systems that support working intentionally and in alignment with the vision of the organization. This simple structure can change the way in which your organization approaches its business, and the potential for success.