EXAMPLES OF VALUE STATEMENTS
To help you get a sense of the power and impact of values, search the Web sites of organiza-
tions you admire and find their value and belief statements. Here are two examples of values-
based organizations, one commercial, one not-for-profit.
Example 1:
“The Body Shop produced an externally and independently verified Values Report in its three
value areas—Social, Environmental, and Animal Protection. You can view the report, sum-
mary and methodology, all on-line. [We] are proud to announce that out of the 100 interna-
tional company reports evaluated by SustainAbility for the United Nations Environmental
Programme, our Values Report scored the highest rating for the second year running.
SustainAbility refers to the Values Report 1997 as ‘...unusual in its efforts to integrate social
and environmental reporting with considerable stakeholder engagement.’”Example 2:
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts diplays its values statement
prominently on its Web site:
“Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting is based on a core set of values that are found in the Girl
Guide/Girl Scout Promise and Law. Each Girl Guide and Girl Scout promises to do her best to
her faith and to others, and in so doing she realizes her fullest potential as a responsible citi-
zen.”HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“Employees ...are very critical when wide gaps exist between (stated) values and actions.
They watch to see how stated values are reinforced and how these values influence actions.”
—James Kouzes and Barry Posner, THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGEDon’t be concerned that terms such as values, beliefs, principles, and philosophyare often used
interchangeably. Authors tend to protect their definitions. Stephen Covey, for example, down-
plays the term valuesin favor of the term principles. He writes that, “Principles are not values.
56 SECTION 2 TOOLS FORBIG-PICTURETHINKING
Step
Communicating
and modeling
values➟
❑ The most powerful form of communicating is not what is said; rather, it is modeling and
congruence (“walking the talk”).
❑ Communicate in ways that are congruent with your stated values.
❑ Use stories and examples to illustrate values and make them concrete for people.Step
Aligning
systems and
behaviors➟
❑Align the accountability process and performance measures with the values.
❑Align systems like training, compensation, and recruitment with the values.
❑Set goals to close gaps between values as stated and as practiced.Step
Measuring and
following
through➟
❑Measure success against stated values.
❑Consider using a values audit (see example).➟
➟