Based on the readings in the Denning text and the assessment you took in A521.5.1 identify in detail the process of developing and aligning organizational values. Identify the three basic components of an ethical community and discuss how they might be applied in your organization. Are there values that are missing from your organization?
Discuss how you might develop those values and also align them with the values of the individuals in the organization.
Value to an organization is a critical element to being successful. However, values in an organization is also essential to company success. So how does an organization incorporate values? An organization must first identify the types of values it wishes to instill in order to develop and align them. Denning (2011) states the four types of values at play in an organization today are: values of robber barons, values of hardball strategies, values of pragmatists, and genuinely ethical values (p. 127). Robber barons are firms whose primary purpose is to “crush the competition by whatever means” (Denning, 2011, p. 127). According to Denning (2011), “hardball strategists avoid illegality, but in all other respects they pursue a single-minded focus on winning” (p. 128). Pragmatists are organizations who place a high degree of focus on values and make values “a central part of the organization’s business strategy” (p. 129). Lastly, there are organizations who are driven explicitly by ethical values as their principal motivating force (Denning, 2011). Whichever values an organization decides to focus on, it must create a culture that facilitates value development. Furthermore, it must also ensure all organizational operations align with these values to avoid any confusion or the perception there are double standards.
The three basic components of a genuinely ethical community are trust, loyalty, and solidarity (Denning, 2011). Trust is the general expectation among members that they will behave ethically towards each other. Loyalty is not breaching each other’s trust and fulfilling the duties by accepting trust. Solidarity is taking other member’s interests into consideration before one’s own personal interests. Trust is demonstrated throughout my organization on a daily basis. There is no position in my organization that can operate independently. Therefore, trust is required upward and downward to successfully accomplish our business practices. My organization is structured by many departments who have different responsibilities. Therefore, each department is like a team working together and must maintain a high degree of loyalty to each other. A team can fall apart if one person breaks trust and loyalty. Some organizations choose to make decisions without hearing its members opinions or input. Solidarity is applied in my organization by making many decisions together as a team as opposed to one person making them. My organization prefers to discuss matters that will affect an entire group and find a consensus among team members.
I took the workplace values assessment which revealed my five most important values I wish to have in my organization. These include in no particular order of importance: opportunity between work life and family life, stability and security, clear advancement tracks/opportunities for advancement, autonomy/independence/freedom, and integrity and truth. All of these values are demonstrated throughout my organization with the exception of one; clear advancement tracks/opportunities for advancement. The lack of advancement opportunities and succession planning in my organization is incredibly frustrating. This could be remedied simply by instituting a program specifically focusing on career opportunities and career development. This plan will add value to the organization while simultaneously increase employee loyalty and continuity since employees will not want to leave the organization.
Denning, S. (2011). The leader’s guide to storytelling: Mastering the art and discipline of business narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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