How do you handle a colleague who slides away from a company value?

In this vlog, @lornerubis and I discuss when and how you give feedback to a peer whose actions don’t reflect one of the values of the organization. Company core values, defined as the beliefs that drive the behaviors of everyone in a company, are important because they set expectations of employee behavior and drive the purpose behind your organization.

But what happens when someone goes off course from these values? One off-course colleague can have a serious impact on the others who uphold the values, but how you handle the situation can have a serious impact as well.

For example, if your company has “self-accountability” as a value and you notice a peer blaming others, you have an opportunity to constructively approach the matter. During that moment, you can ask for clarification on the person’s perspective. Often we perceive an act or statement as negative but the individual doesn’t. If you’re confused or skeptical, you can say, “Can you say more about that?” or “What do you mean by ‘[whatever the person said]’?”

Three takeaways from this episode:

  1. Diversity in opinions and perspectives drive better problem solving and contribution.
  2. Have the courage to give constructive feedback promptly if someone isn’t living the organization’s values.
  3. If you receive such feedback, try to view it as an opportunity for personal growth and better teamwork.

Here’s to disrupting sameness and achieving #betterwork

Lynette