Practicing what one preaches

Its easy to say something... I mean, there's hardly any effort to say a few words. We do more than that everyday - unless of course, one is experiencing some difficulty to do just that, it should not be a problem to utter words.

However, some words - when put together, have special meaning... one's larger than the words themselves, for example... a sentence representing a promise from someone - just words... but the intent goes beyond the content. A promise comes with an inherent belief that the person who uttered such promise will do good on said promise's intended action. After all, why promise at all - if one won't keep said promise?

Now lets go even higher tha a personal promise... a company's credo or set of core values. These words set the company apart from the rest of the pack... it gives the company an identity... and yes, it sets the tone for what kind of company it is - and will continue to be.

The credo is its guiding light... its core values - just that... what it is, at its very core. What it - as an entity, believes, practices and adheres to. Naturally, it will - and should, take great pains to uphold these values that it holds dear. Because, once again, if it does not follow such values in principle, then it can't expect its clients and partners to trust it - after all, wouldn't that be counter to it's very own integrity?

The big problem here - specially for large companies, these credos or values are paid lip service... nice to recite; maybe even have a stylish plaque hung on the wall for all to see... maybe even make sure that H.R. has some kind of program to inculcate newbies with these values - possibly even memorize them... BUT... and here's the great but part... when push comes to shove, the leadership of this same company - or its people at some level of the organization, forget everything they preach and practice an entirely different set of values.

Therein lies the real viewpoint to such values and creeds... if a company is consistent with it's preachings... with its ideal, then it shows that it is serious with what it does - with its practices. But if people, whether employees or partners in executing some form of work or another; for said firm, feel that things are being practiced differently... then, these same people - and their circle of friends... will realize that this organization's leadership, its people, its practice and yes... its credo or values... are all just one big hypocritical mass of pretenders.

Unfortunate... since there are, I am sure, at least a handful of people who take these values to heart... yet are equally affected by those that do not. Now... I understand that when a crisis happens, change is needed - and people get affected. That, and the actions to help survive the crisis, is inevitable. But as i mentioned before, and read in the book 'Leading at the Edge', how the leader (or leadership) thinks and acts, will best determine whether they talk one way and act another - and the people do get to glimpse at their leadership's integrity - or lack of.

As I used to work with a large company... one well known for its stability, profitability, growth.. and yes... integrity - that latter word being one of several core value this particular company upholds, I appreciated the fact that said company had such values ingrained into its workforce - heck, I had my share of doing the inculcation of how important such values to the company were, and therefore, how its newbies had to adapt to such a culture.

I even had my share of dealing with jaded participants - those that came from a not too ideal corporate climate, and thus had to question or cast suspicion on things that may be too good to be true, and my message to these people would be -insert company's name here- is different, and they really do respect their workforce - after all, they value their best assets... which of course, are the people working with it.

If you read carefully between those lines in the paragraph right above this one, I have subtly inserted what are two more of said company's core values.. aside from the previously mentioned 'Integrity'.

Going back to my point... Leadership's actions - specially in a crisis, will reveal a lot about whether the organization does indeed practice what it preaches... or simply preach... and practice - but only when things are comfortably happening the way they expect things to happen. Otherwise... to hell with the preach part - this is survival, and only the strong (or well-positioned decision maker) survive.

So much for core values, credos, mission statements or visions - these are just words to preach to the masses - but come real problem-solving crunch-time issue-handling late-night emergency meetings - those are just words... and only the foolishly ideal individuals cling to such words... and only the naive cling to these concepts - believing that all will be handled as expected - by making hard decision based on these core values, credos, mission statements and visions.

But aren't the idealistic and naive those who are truly and genuinely practicing and championing the organization's values? Aren't they those who are truly respected? I'd like to think that at times like these... it should be these individuals who should be the organization's compass to any and every decision to be made affecting each individual.

Pity... really. A chance to prove one's integrity - to prove that his (or her) integrity is aligned with that the company preaches... and they - this company, failed to do just that.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have removed people in the workforce - though that, in itself is likewise debatable. But the way they handled the problem - the way the let go of their people - and their 3rd-party partners... the way these people were treated... well, one has the feeling of being an unwanted wet and dirty rag... easily discarded after its usefulness is done.

I've heard stories, and have experienced some 'anomalous' actions - and by anomalous, I mean, actions not aligned with the organizational 'core values'... and from where I was standing, not all decisions were made with Integrity to all, and with Respect to each Individual... and yes, suddenly, this organization was presenting a different face, than what was expected by its 'best' people.

Again, I'm not saying all the leadership acted in that way - at least, I can't be certain. But an apple just needs one worm to become unwanted by any person to eat - it loses it value as a fruit... and just like said apple, this company that I used to help, has lost its value, its prestige, and yes... its integrity.

At a time of crisis... at this time of crisis, its leadership failed to Lead at the Edge. Don't get me wrong... survival is an organization's right - and if laying off people is a necessary resort, then so be it... but there is a good - and not so good way of doing this... and this is one time where industry best practices were not adhered to.

We must be better than that. We must practice what we preach.

This is done, the actions of the past... history - and as this organization is fond of doing, it must think of all the 'deltas' in its handling this particular situation, and learn from it's mistakes... or this - the concept of continuous improving by finding areas to change - will turn out to be just another 'practice' being preached.