THE CASE: Wall Art Values
Neha's company values: "Integrity. Customer Focus. Innovation." Reality: Top salesperson lies to customers, kept because of revenue. Toxic manager preserved because of results. Values = wall decoration.
80% have stated values, 15% live them (Gallup). Values without enforcement = cynicism. Companies with aligned values: 30% higher engagement. Values become real when violations have consequences.
The Evidence
80% have values, 15% live them (Gallup)
Aligned values: 30% higher engagement (Deloitte)
Values clarity: 25% lower turnover (SHRM)
The Values Audit
The Hard Question
"Would we fire a top performer who violates this value?"
- If no: It's not really a value
- If yes: Communicate clearly and consistently
- Values = what you reward + what you punish
The Experiment
For each company value, find one recent decision that reinforced it. Can't find one? The value isn't real yet.
Sources
- Gallup. Corporate Values Study. 2023.
- Deloitte. Values and Engagement. 2023.
Key Takeaways
- 80% of companies have values, only 15% live them
- Values = what you reward + what you punish
- Ask: "Would we fire a top performer for violating this?"