The Value of Values

In tough times, your organisational values are more vital than ever. Achieving your vision feels light years away; continuing  in what you are doing to fulfil your mission is hard enough. But real, lived values can form a bond of mutual support across the charity.

This message has come across strongly in two recent virtual sessions I ran. Firstly, from Kate Lee, until recently CEO of Alzheimer’s Society, who spoke to the Virtual Hospice CEO Group. 

Kate took over the charity days before the first lockdown and just after a hefty spell of negative publicity. She faced huge cultural, operational and financial challenges even before the pandemic hit.

Kate told us how engaging staff in the development of new organisational values was a vital step in re-building morale. She then encouraged the use of radical candour to implement them. The fact that Alzheimer’s Society won a Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Work’ award, as well as Large Charity of the Year at the Third Sector Awards, shows the progress they made.

The second example came in the session Simon Hopkins ran for the Virtual Finance Director Group. Simon is a highly respected expert in managing charity turnarounds.

He spoke of how important it is to be open about the challenges an organisation faces, rather than ‘protecting’ staff from the reality as is often the approach. Obviously, this needs to be done carefully. But as Simon said, people may be making major decisions in their own lives, such as buying a house. So, they need to be aware of the situation sooner not later. 

Making values a core part of your culture is, of course, essential. But some organisations make this harder by the number of values they have. Or by the extensive detail they go into to explain them. 

How many people in your hospice do you think actually know your values? If they don’t know them, how can they really live up to them?!

An appropriate acronym such as Wigan & Leigh’s CARE, or using a simple logic, see Isle of Man’s ABC makes it much easier. Dorothy House’s 3Cs – We Care, We Connect, We Create is another example.

The value of values really shows in difficult times. So make it as easy as possible for people to remember them.