The Role of Values and Leadership in Organizational Transformation
An organization’s culture i.e., its soul, is comprised of the collective values of the individuals that make up the organization. Each individual has their beliefs which translate into their personal values which, expressed collectively, define an organization’s culture.
Values define an organization’s standards and norms of behavior, i.e., the framework within which an organization operates. Individuals’ values must align with organizational values for there to be shared vision within the organization.
In living organizations, values are clear and operationalized, and are the basis on which decisions are made. They provide stability for employees; contribute insight and direction when facing unpleasant decisions; provide a rudder for steering to higher ethical conduct, respect and dignity for the individual; and increase employee motivation; all of which create a competitive edge. When employees share organizational values, they feel more loyal and committed, and identify more strongly with the organization.
The #1 reason that we do not have better performing institutions of higher education is that there is no shared vision for education in universities.
Why do I say this?
Because in my 30-plus years in the workforce, rarely have I seen stakeholder groups more at odds with one another than in the area of education.
In this document Dr. Drumm McNaughton discusses the lack of a shared vision for education, being the main reason for poor school performance. It highlights the conflict between school district administrators and teachers’ unions, which hinders progress. The concept of shared vision is crucial, and educators must agree on what constitutes good education and how to measure it.
The potential consequences of not having a shared vision for education can be poor academic performance, lack of accountability, and frustration among stakeholders.