Measurable progress is just the best, right?  But there are intangible factors that contribute immeasurably to the success of an organization – values, which can’t be ignored or neglected.

The success of an organization depends on the success of the individuals that comprise it.  This means that the individual’s idea of success needs to align with the organization’s goals.  To ensure this alignment, the organization’s values and vision need to be clearly communicated – as early on as the hiring process.  Hiring for fit will contribute greatly to the long-term success of the individual as part of the organization.

But the articulation of values can’t just be a qualifier for employment – values need to be reinforced throughout an employee’s work-life.  Sustained high performance is a result of the clear understanding of expectations and goals, every step of the way.  Values can, and should, be used as a touchstone for employee behavior and performance – values establish a common metric for what “good” is.

But where do these values come from, and how can they be articulated or displayed?

Communication and exposition are necessary of course, but so is modeling.  It is important for a leader to practice desired behaviors that contribute to organizational success.  That way, not only does an employee see the behaviors that embody organizational values in action each day, he also sees that his high performance isn’t hitting a low ceiling.

A great way to identify and align values at all levels of your organization is to physically sit down and talk about them as team.  The Values Edge System is a platform to examine individual and organizational values, and to compare the two.  This content-rich – but simply done – card-sorting activity provides a powerful visual representation of what drives behavior and shapes culture.  Try it today, and you’ll be able to form the strong team foundation you need to reach top performance! Turn your organization’s intangibles into progress you can see, with The Values Edge System!