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A value essentially operates as a  principle to be adopted and implemented or a moral or ethical code; or a standard to be applied.  A value can be something to stand for, an aspiration, something worth while

Values are important because they act as unifiers for the organisation, the ‘glue’ that keeps unity, focus and consistency within the organisation.  For example, during the lockdown of Covid, many people were working on their own.   If managers were not easily contactable, then it may have helped to have clear values to help individuals make decisions and choices that would be supported.  As Roy E Disney said: "when values are clear, decisions are easy".

In terms of deciding on which values, there are really two options: top down or bottom up; top down – the senior team meet to agree what they think are most relevant, and then have others consult on their choices; bottom up – staff (perhaps in focus groups) nominate their values, and the senior team then chooses from the list coming from staff.  But always bear this in mind: even if there is no formal process for agreeing company values, they will still exist, implicitly rather than explicitly, through the actions and behaviours of the staff.

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here are two worksheets in this section: your values worksheet and your LSA worksheet.  For your values worksheet you are given two options.  One is to choose your personal set of values, and the other is to choose the set of values you think your company should have.  So for the first of the sheets on your values worksheet, click on each of the words you think would best represent the values you would choose for yourself. Click as many as you like, though we would probably suggest half a dozen.  And if the values you would want to adopt for yourself aren't on the list, then add them below, where there are spaces for you to do that.  Then move the the second of the worksheets for this particular option, and do the same for your company.  What are the values you would want your company to have? They may be identical to the ones you have chosen for yourself, or you may think they should have something slightly different.

For the second worksheet, that's the LSA worksheet, you are simply being invited to use the form to complete your own LSA checklist.  What are the main impressions you want to create on other people, conistently and regularly? How do you want people to regard you? What reputation do you want to have? What do you want your brand or identity to be?  So again, using the chart, write down the various characteristics you would want to be known for, and then work out how you would look, sound and act those particular characteristics.

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It's a fact of life that we all make an impression on everybody in whose company we are - by phone, by face, online, even on paper.  I'm making an impression on you, now, and you're making an impression on whoever else you are working with.  So = what kind of impression do you make? And - do you care? I guess that, as a professional, we all have to care about the impressions we make on others; we all want that to be positive. constructive and friendly.  So - how do we do that? There are really 3 key ways in which we make an impression on others - 3 key elements.  They are called L,S, A.  These are the 3 LSAs of impression making.  L is for look; S is for sound; and A is for act.  So how we look, how we sound, and how we act is how we make an impression on other people.  And if we do that consistently, then that's the reputation we'll have.  If we look friendly, and sound friendly, and act in a friendly way, then people will regard us as friendly. If we look dull, sound dull, and act in a really dull way, then that's the impression others will have of us, that we're dull, So whatever our LSA is creates our impression on others. So here's a handy tip. After you've listened to this video, think about the impression you would like to make on others. How would you like to be known or thought of; if you  leave the room, or  someone asks 'how's Arnie?', they'll say 'oh, Arnie, he's....'  What would you want them to say?  So let's say it was friendly, and helpful, and positive.  So use LSA to work out how to deliver a positive impression on each.

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Putting values on the wall but then not delivering them is worse than not putting them on the wall at all.  If you publicise and promote organisational values, then clearly you are creating expectations that they will be delivered.  You are raising everyone's sensitivities - both visitors and staff.  So if the behaviours of your staff, or the presentation of your products, fails to deliver those values, you will be creating disappointment and scepticism.

Only choose values that can be demonstrated through behaviours

You can often offer values that sound great, in principle, but are difficult to demonstrate in practice.  Consider just these 6 examples of values that are often espoused as 'how we are':

caring

adaptable

positive

customer-focused

creative

open

In our view, you would need to identify at least 3 behaviours that all staff can demonstrate, consistently, for each of those words to be authentic and accurate  Can you do that?

If you can’t demonstrate the value…it doesn’t exist.

And of course this follows on from the previous slide.  If you cannot identify at least three behaviours, capable of being delivered by all staff, then...the value in reality, doesn't exist.  Its a concept, rather than reality.  One useful test of this is this: if you are responsible for setting the values, and someone - anyone - from your company asked you to give examples of how they could demonstrate and deliver any of those values - could you tell them?

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The worksheet offers you the opportunity to create value-based behaviours.  It is structured for you to identify up to 5 key values, and then, alongside each, identify three behaviours that would demonstrate that value in practice.  You could complete this worksheet on your own, or of course, work with your team to complete it.