Harnessing the Power of Shared Values: Building a Unified and Successful Team

Shared values are those built by the team to achieve performance and success. In this text, you will find valuable information on how to define these values together with the group. Enjoy the read!

If The Team Wants To Reach Its Potential, Each Player Must Be Willing To Subordinate Their Personal Goals To The Good Of The Team. — Bud Wilkinson – American Football Player, Coach, Broadcaster, And Politician

Individual Values (IV) versus Organisational Values (OV)
According to John C. Maxwell, “Relationships alone aren’t enough. They must be coupled with shared values and a common purpose to keep a team together.” This aligns with the Law of Identity, which emphasises the necessity of IV and OV for maintaining team unity.

So, how can values be defined in such a way that the group becomes more united and efficient?

The Value of Values
These are attributes that must belong to a team’s values. They are:

– Glue

That is when values are more important than your feelings. You do something because it is right, not because your emotions have driven you to do it otherwise. For example:

• Integrity in Decision-Making: A team member might feel pressured to cut corners on a project but adheres to the team’s value of integrity, ensuring the work is done correctly.
• Commitment to Deadlines: Despite personal stress or workload, a team member meets “deadlines” because of the value placed on reliability. I don’t like the term “deadlines”. 🙄

– A Foundation

If stable, it makes stability possible so that the team can perform well and grow. For example:

• Regular Team Meetings: Establishing a routine for team meetings creates a reliable structure for communication and progress updates. (daily meeting) 😉
• Clear Role Definitions: Ensuring each team member understands their role within the team helps maintain stability and focus.

– A Rule

This is when a mission or a set of guidelines on how to operate in your business is established. For example:

• Mission Statements: A clear, concise mission statement can guide the team’s actions and decisions.
• Code of Conduct: A well-defined code of conduct ensures everyone understands the expected behaviour and standards. It reminds me of my “Definition of Done” post.

– A Magnet

People attract others who think similarly (see the Law of Magnetism in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell). For example:

• Shared Enthusiasm: A team with a strong passion for innovation will naturally attract like-minded individuals.
• Common Goals: A team dedicated to sustainability will attract members who are equally passionate about environmental issues.

– An Identity

Shared values characterise teams and give them a unique identity. For example:

• Cultural Celebrations: Celebrating cultural events or team milestones can strengthen the team’s unique identity.

Example of Values:

Below are the values of the “Jedi Order” team I worked with as a Scrum Master a few years ago:

• Unique development of each member;
• Attention to our people;
• Respect for all individuals;
• Doing whatever it takes to build customer loyalty;
• Building strong relationships with the business area, clients, and suppliers;
• Developing superior quality code.

How to Increase Your Team’s Potential with These Values?
Organise the Values: Gather the team and develop the values. Put everything on paper (post-it notes, of course!). The JTBD – Jobs To Be Done activity can be easily carried out to define them.

Compare the Adopted Values with Practices: Are the assumed values compatible with those experienced?

Teach the Values: With their definition, the leader is responsible for teaching the members clearly, creatively, and continuously.

Institutionalise the Values: Combine them with a specific activity of the team. For example, developing superior quality code.

Praise the Values Publicly: By praising and honouring the people who best represent them, you will enable them to be defended and carried forward by other team members.

Working in a Team
Team members need common goals that are mutually beneficial. They need to be motivated to work together, not manipulated by someone seeking personal reputation. They must also be able to rely on each other when necessary.

As John C. Maxwell says, “Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team.”

Becoming a Better Team Member

1. Share your values with the team.
2. Examine your values and goals in comparison with the group.
3. Accept the team’s values. Make every possible effort. Otherwise, you will be a constant source of frustration for yourself and the team.

Becoming a Better Leader for the Team

1. Know the values you adopt.
2. Live them.
3. Communicate them to the team.
4. Ensure that the group understands and utilises them.
5. Check that the members’ behaviour is homogeneous. A good way to check if the team is following the defined values is to apply Spotify’s Squad Health Check model.

Examples of Successful Teams:

1. The All Blacks (New Zealand Rugby Team): Known for their commitment to excellence and teamwork, the All Blacks emphasise shared values such as humility, respect, and a relentless pursuit of improvement. Their consistent success on the field is a testament to the strength of their team culture.
2. Google’s Project Aristotle: Google conducted a study to understand what makes teams successful and found that psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact were crucial. Teams that embraced these values were more innovative and productive.

And to conclude…

The Individual determines the team’s potential.
The Vision determines the team’s direction.
The Ethics determines the team’s preparation.
The Leadership determines the team’s success.

Dear Reader, Share Your Thoughts!

I hope this deep dive into the Law of Identity and its application in defining team values has been insightful for you. Understanding and implementing shared values can profoundly impact your team’s cohesion and success.

What’s your experience with defining and living by team values?

Have you encountered any challenges or successes with this approach?

How do you ensure that your team’s values align with its actions and goals?

I’d love to hear your perspectives! Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts or ask any questions you might have. If you found this post valuable, give it a like and share it with others who might benefit from it. Your engagement and feedback are greatly appreciated and help us continue to create meaningful content.

Looking forward to your comments!

Bruno Amaral