Almost every contractor has a values statement. And in most cases, it ranges somewhere from aspirational feel-good to client-centric bullshit marketing.
Sounds good. Looks good on the website. Serves as a differentiator in the marketplace. And makes very little operational or economic impact overall.
Values are the building blocks for organizations. They are the hidden influencers of behavior, from ownership all the way down to the field.
They serve as both signposts of purpose and meaning and accountability of culture.
So why aren’t they more influential?
Why do leaders embrace them but fail to drive them relentlessly?
Because leaders assume everyone “gets it.” And most people don’t.
And because the organization is making it too hard to do so.
Why Values Matter More Than Ever
In today’s world of top-talent shortages, the new generation wants to know what you stand for.
Your values communicate that.
Otherwise, it’s just money, and if they’re good, they can get that anywhere.
How you communicate your values internally and externally matters.
That communication must be:
- Consistent
- Frequent
- Simple
And that’s where most organizations get it wrong.
The Four Biggest Mistakes Contractors Make with Values
1. Too Many Values
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Do the Ten Commandments roll off your tongue?
No.
So why would your employees remember seven, ten, or twelve values, and what each one looks like in action?
Fewer values, driven with more focus and discipline, are far more powerful.
The test is simple:
Can every employee name every value?
If not, you have too many
2. No Reinforcement Plan
Safety is a core value, right?
That’s why you reinforce it through:
- Daily conversations
- Weekly meetings
- Annual training
- Leadership messaging
That reinforcement is why safety produces real operational and economic results.
So ask yourself:
- When do you reinforce your other values?
- How do you drive them home?
No reinforcement = no behavior change = no benefit.
3. External Focus Instead of Internal Focus
When I’m asked to keynote or train leaders, I often start by reviewing the company’s website.
Most of the time:
- I can’t find the values, or
- They’re buried, or
- They read like marketing bullshit designed for clients. Not expectations for employees.
Values should define what you expect from your people first. Not what you want clients to see.
If you get the internal behaviors right, clients benefit automatically
4. No Ongoing Conversation About What Values Look Like
This is the biggest miss of all.
Values don’t influence behavior unless people understand what they look and sound like in action.
Ask yourself:
- What does a “values moment” look like alongside your safety moment?
- Do new hires receive a values orientation?
- Does every safety meeting also include a values component?
Want different and better outcomes? Do what others won’t.
Final Thought
As a courtesy to our clients, we’ve developed a guide to Test Your Company Values.
We hope you find it useful, as many of our clients do.
And if you want to drive your values home in a way that actually matters, we’re always here to help.
– Mark Breslin