Setting an example - is that possible?

Everyone has them. Everyone needs them. Hardly anyone knows them. We are talking about values. They hang bleakly on the walls of German canteens, adorn floods of flyers, and ultimately devour large sums of money. Large sums of money for further education, large sums of time, but also large sums of employee motivation. Consultants are hired to create mission statements, even more consultants are hired to bring values to life, and then qualification measures are put in place to instill these values among the employees.

Leading by example in 2nd place

Hardly any company is unaware of the need to create a mission statement. To communicate values. To lead by example. This was recently confirmed by a study. "Digging for Diamonds," a joint study by ATOSS Software AG and DEKRA Akademie, focused on "Unlocking Hidden Potentials in Companies" (source see below). Around 320 HR managers in Germany and Austria were surveyed. "Leading by example with corporate values" was rated as "rather important" by 81% of respondents, earning 2nd place in the category of "tools in the area of ​​employees." Only "Qualification programs for executives/coaching" are considered even more important. From my perspective, I can sign off on this.

Leading by example with values? Yes, with heart!

However, I often get stuck on this formulation: Leading by example with values. Is that even possible? In my consulting projects, when it comes to establishing, formulating, reviewing mission statements, or integrating them into existing qualification measures and recruitment processes, clients and I often encounter the question in the initial discussion: "Can values be exemplified?" And my answer is clear: "Yes, it is possible. But it requires a very essential prerequisite, which few people care about, which hardly anyone pays attention to, and yet it is so necessary." In order to lead by example with values, an employee must first have that value. The employee must have that value deeply rooted in their heart. The value must be considered important to them.

Value is what is important

At this point in the conversation, we often have to go past the question: "What are values anyway?" My rather simple answer: "A value is everything that is important to you." This could be a car, a hobby, your family, money, ecological sustainability, or even justice, freedom, and happiness. All of these are things that everyone experiences and/or learns as valuable in their own lives. All of these are things that make life meaningful. However, it is surprising that hardly anyone knows their own values. Do you know what is truly important to you?

Writing with the left hand as a right-hander

But to come back to our question, how can values be exemplified, companies must address the following questions: What are the values of my employees? Do these align with the company's values? Do the employees' values reflect the company's values? Suppose you have identified the company value "Fairness." It would be quite easy to lead by example with "Fairness" by consistently acting fairly. However, it is also easy to understand that it is easier for someone to lead by example with fairness if fairness is deeply rooted within them. Someone who has only achieved their goals in life through tricks, cunning, and maybe even injustices will find it difficult to consider fairness important. And I do not doubt that they cannot act fairly. But I claim that it is much more difficult for them if the value is not their own. It would be as if a right-hander suddenly had to write with their left hand: They would somehow manage, but it would be much more strenuous for them, and the result would be much worse than that of the right hand.

The right employees can also exemplify the right values

When it comes to leading by example with values, one must take a step back and formulate the question additionally: how can values be authentically exemplified? And the answer is as simple as it is difficult: by selecting the right employees who also deeply carry that value in their hearts. Employees who share values with their employer and see themselves reflected in the company's values. Employees who effortlessly live their own values in the work environment. Then leading by example happens naturally. Employees who share values with the company do not have to think about it. They just do it. They do not have to lead by example with fairness, they are simply fair. And it costs neither consultant days, qualification programs, roadshows, nor lifetime. It just happens. For more information on leading by example with values and Dr. Susanne Dietz, visit here: http://www.trainers-excellence.de/redner/susanne-dietz.html

Link to the study "Digging for Diamonds": https://www.atoss.com/de/Documents/Versteckte_Dokumente/Studien/ATOSS-Digging-for-Diamonds-Management-summary-2008.pdf