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This is part 5 of 8 in the significant seven teaming questions. Previous parts can be found on my website (timshaw.co.za under Shaw to Shore articles).

Culture is often described as how we do things around here. Does it embody the behavioural norms and values of the organisation?

You would be amazed how often those publicly displayed organizational values are simply ignored or left to individual expression. Is it a generational thing or has the world become more compromising as mediocrity becomes the norm?

A reckless mountain bike manoeuvre resulted in broken ribs and a punctured lung which kept me in hospital for a few nights. I may as well learn something while lying here I told myself and so began to observe what I often discuss in team workshops – the behaviour of people, in this instance that of the nurses and the support staff.

I learnt much including a vast discrepancy in skills for those with similar experience fulfilling identical functions although most alarming was the attitudinal differential. The importance of someone simply checking in during the night to see if everything one was ok was not a given. Thankfully there were a few shining stars.

Which brings me to the wording of numerous signs which had been posted on every floor, corridor and passage – the signs simply said; we value silence, silence heals!

I chuckled in disbelief as the noise pollution in the hospital was appalling and I said as much in the online ‘rate your experience’ questionnaire sent to myself a few days later. Haven’t heard a thing, perhaps this is the start of the silence?

Values are called such because they are valuable, however their value lies in the eye of the beholder as validated not through words, but through modelling.

You need courage to apply the principles and values you stand for as they will be tested, every minute of your day. If you don’t stand for them, you will fall for anything!

I am the author of Leading Self and Others (how to make a difference where you are with what you’ve got) and Teaming with ideas (life lessons in teams – from business, sport and parkrun). You can contact me here.