The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork Ch 13

The Law of Identity: Shared Values Define the Team

• Shared values, not just relationships, define a cohesive team, especially in growing organizations. This is the "Law of Identity."
• Shared values guide team behavior, like personal values guide individuals. Teams lacking common values face chaos and break down.
• Values act as "glue" holding teams together during tough times. A strong marriage, similar to a team, is often held by shared values that supersede changing feelings.
• Values create a stable foundation for teams to perform and grow. Common ground, like shared values, are crucial for building any relationship.
• Values establish performance standards, often articulated in a mission statement. However, stated values don't always match actual behavior.
• Well-defined values act as a "compass" to guide teams, even through changing circumstances, fostering good decision making.
• Values attract like-minded people to a team, creating a unique identity. The people drawn to a team reflect its values.
• The INJOY Group's core values include personal growth, adding value to others, partnership, leadership development, organizational stewardship, and glorifying God. These values shape the "identity" of the team.

Communicating and Implementing Values

• Communicating a team's values is essential for shared understanding and alignment (the Law of Identity). The first step in this process is to convey the team's values.
• Articulating, documenting, and comparing stated values to demonstrated practices are crucial. Alignment between values and actions are key for effectiveness and morale.
• Training, teaching values, aligning actions with stated values, embedding values into team culture (institutionalizing) and rewarding value-driven behavior are further steps.
• Leaders are key to establishing values that help team members realize a new identity and create a common language for values.
• If a team has no established values, then the values of the most influential people become team values, creating an identity irrespective of intent. Creating an identity through actively defining and redefining values can result in a change of team culture and a new common identity.

The Home Depot Example

• Home Depot's success is rooted in its values, not merely size. They were founded on values like excellent customer service, employee care, and community investment.
• Eight core values have been central to Home Depot's success (though not initially written down) for over 20 years. These promote excellent customer service, care for employees, entrepreneurial spirit, respect for all, relationship building, doing the right thing, community involvement, and shareholder return.
• These values have made Home Depot a great workplace, providing employee stock options, fostering a sense of identity, and encouraging loyalty. These values directly resulted in the team having a strong sense of identity.

Explore the pivotal role of shared values in creating cohesive teams through this quiz on the Law of Identity. Discover how values guide behavior, foster strong relationships, and act as a foundation for team performance. Test your understanding of the importance of common ground in both personal and organizational settings.