by Brian Stinson

The second in a three-part series. 

Ever wonder what makes some organizations thrive while others just spin their wheels?  In our previous article, Cal Stevens dove into how organizational values can transform a company’s performance. Today, we’re exploring how these shared values can supercharge an organization’s impact. And don’t worry – in our final article, we’ll show you exactly how to weave these values into your strategy. 

When Busy Isn’t Better

Let’s be real – every organization exists to get stuff done. But the holy grail? Getting things done effectively at scale. Sure, most companies are packed with hardworking folks keeping busy, but here’s the thing: being busy doesn’t always mean making progress. Think of it this way – if you have two organizations with similar talent and resources, what sets the successful one apart? Two things: Leadership and Strategy. And guess what ties these together? You got it – core values.

Leaders: More Than Just a Title

We’ve all seen countless books and articles about leadership, and there’ll be plenty more to come. But while leadership theories come and go, one thing stays constant: the power of shared values. Take a moment to think about the best leader you’ve ever worked with. Sure, they might have been brilliant, knowledgeable, or charismatic – but I bet they were crystal clear about what mattered most to them. Their values weren’t just words on a wall; they lived them daily.

Here’s the thing about leadership: you can get people to follow you because of your title (we call this compliance-based leadership), but that only gets you so far. The real magic happens when leaders inspire genuine commitment – not to themselves, but to something bigger: the organization’s purpose, mission, and vision.

 Commitment: More Than Just Showing Up

Let’s talk about commitment. And I mean real commitment – not just clocking in and doing the minimum. When leaders truly want to inspire their teams, they need something more powerful than positional authority. They need a North Star that everyone can rally around.

I admit that cultivating commitment routinely requires more effort (often significantly more) than issuing directives. However, I know from experience that true commitment is always more effective than compliance or performative behaviors across the organization.

Think about it: Have you ever worked somewhere that felt like you were just going through the motions? Where the strategy seemed disconnected from reality? I sure have.

The Commitment Catalyst: Values

So how do you bridge that gap? How do you transform compliance into genuine commitment? Enter organizational values – your secret weapon.

Researchers James Kouzes and Barry Posner didn’t just theorize about this; they proved it. Their groundbreaking research revealed that when organizations establish clear, meaningful values, magic happens:

• Employees feel more personally effective
• Team loyalty skyrockets
• Ethical behavior becomes the norm
• Job stress and apathy diminishes
• Workplace pride increases
• Teamwork becomes second nature

And here’s the mic drop moment: Organizations with strong value-driven cultures saw mind-blowing results. We’re talking:

• 4x faster revenue growth
• 7x faster job creation
• 12x faster stock price appreciation
• 750% higher profit performance

Values: Your Cultural DNA

Think of organizational values like your company’s internal operating system. They’re not just pretty words on a poster – they’re a social contract that defines how you interact, make decisions, and show up for each other.

When done right, your values should paint a crystal-clear picture of your ideal team member. They become a powerful tool for everything from recruiting and hiring to performance evaluations and recognition.

The Value Creation Journey

Here’s the not-so-secret secret: There’s no magic algorithm for discovering your organizational values. It’s a journey of deep introspection, honest conversations, and constant iteration.

Sure, you could try to do this internally. But most organizations find tremendous value in bringing in an external facilitator. Why? Because an outsider can:

• Ask the tough questions
• Challenge existing assumptions
• Navigate potential resistance
• Accelerate the discovery process

The Power of Values-Based Hiring: A Story of School Transformation

Imagine walking into an elementary school that completely breaks the mold. That’s exactly what happened to me back in 2016 when my company, The PEAK Fleet, started working with what looked like an ordinary public elementary school on paper – but turned out to be anything but ordinary.

This wasn’t your typical school with neat rows of desks and quiet hallways. Instead, I found myself in what felt like a living laboratory of learning. Picture this: open classrooms where teams of teachers worked together, guiding around 75 students per grade level. Instead of kids sitting quietly at their desks, I saw small groups huddled together, deeply engaged in collaborative projects. The fourth, fifth, and sixth grade buildings even had dedicated ‘maker spaces’ – something I’d never seen in an elementary school before.

But what truly struck me was the energy in the air. There was this infectious sense of “Possibility Thinking” that seemed to flow from the teachers to the students and back again. It got me thinking about something I’d read just days before: 65% of today’s elementary students would eventually work in jobs that don’t even exist yet. Standing there in those innovative spaces, it hit me – this wasn’t just a school for gifted kids. This could be a blueprint for the future of education itself.

I was captivated and wanted to be part of whatever magic was happening here. But then the principal shared something surprising. Despite all this innovation and excitement, they were struggling to keep teachers. Even experienced educators with impressive credentials in gifted education were leaving after just one year. It didn’t make sense – until we dug deeper.

The breakthrough came when we worked together to identify the school’s core values:

• See the Possibility
• Succeed as One Team
• Act with Empathy

That’s when everything clicked. The principal had been doing what most would consider “smart hiring” – bringing in highly qualified teachers with stellar credentials. But here’s the catch: she was hiring for skills and experience when what she really needed were teachers who could thrive in this unique culture and in alignment with the school’s values.

The teachers who left weren’t failing because they lacked expertise – they were struggling because the school needed something different. It needed educators who got excited about innovation, who lived for continuous improvement, and who could truly shine in a collaborative teaching environment. Instead, they’d been hiring teachers who were masters of the traditional classroom model – excellent educators who were most comfortable working independently with their tried-and-true methods.

It was a classic case of hiring for what’s on paper versus what’s in the heart. The lesson? Sometimes the best person for the job isn’t the one with the most impressive resume – it’s the one whose values align with your vision.

What’s Next?

In our final installment, Jen Coyne will dive into the nitty-gritty of integrating these hard-won values into your strategic planning. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

Stay curious, stay committed.