Has your team already defined shared values? If so, how effectively are they being put into practice? In this article, we will explore how shared values can strengthen your team—by not only establishing them, but also engaging your team and creating the right conditions for everyone to fully embrace and live by them.
What Do Shared Team Values Mean?
Shared values can improve teamwork and make decision-making easier. They act as a compass, helping all team members stay aligned, and as an anchor, providing stability and support for the team.
Well-chosen team values reflect both the individual values of team members and the team’s function. They should align with the company’s mission and be compatible with its overall values. However, team values don’t need to perfectly mirror the company or individual values. Often, not all team members will personally identify with every shared value. Instead, these values emerge from the collective behavior and principles already in place within the team, shaped by the interactions of all participants rather than simply being a sum of individual values.
Here are seven tips to help you establish and embrace shared values within your team.
Don’t Take Anything for Granted
If you feel that a particular value is already naturally embraced by everyone in the team, make sure to explicitly define it as one of your shared team values. This ensures clarity and avoids misunderstandings, as not all team members may share the same assumption.
Involve Your Team
The entire team should participate in selecting and defining the team values. You can’t force anyone to adopt a particular value. Moreover, the collaborative process of defining these values strengthens team unity and gives each member a sense of being valued and heard.
Focus on Core Values
Having too many values can make the list overwhelming, and individual values may lose their impact. Instead, concentrate on three to five key values that are most important to your team’s mission and that align with the personal values of all team members.
Use Clear, Practical Examples
Values are often stated in abstract terms and can be interpreted in various ways. To clarify your team values, it can be helpful to discuss practical scenarios that align with each value. This not only helps everyone understand the meaning of each value but also fosters collective thinking about how to implement and live these values in daily interactions.
Lead by Example
Once your shared values are established, set a strong example by living them as authentically as possible. When your team sees you consistently embodying these values, they are more likely to follow your lead.
Regularly Reinforce Team Values
Consistently highlight how your shared values have influenced your decisions and actions. This demonstrates that the values are truly impactful and helps your team understand the reasoning behind your decisions.
Address Violations of Values Immediately
Never overlook when a value is violated, and encourage your team to do the same. This ensures that everyone understands what it means to live by the shared values and fosters a sense of equality and collective responsibility for upholding them.
Your Personal Approach to Team Values
What values currently define your team? Were they created collectively, observed, or set by you or someone else? How do you feel about the process of building these values?
In the end, it’s about collaboratively discovering what works well for your team and what you can realistically and genuinely implement. Your coach can also support you in preparing for this process, helping you identify the strengths you can leverage and any additional resources you might need to establish shared values effectively.