We talk a fair amount here about the importance of authenticity (applying a bit of intentionality toward knowing who you are and acting accordingly) and sometimes folks hear this is as an ooey-gooey, touchy-feely kind of thing that likely does not have any real value to the organization.
One example of how this work can be beneficial to both the individual and the organization is in value alignment. Organizational and individual authenticity makes it easier for us to achieve this alignment, and this alignment makes just about everything a little more efficient.
I do not believe that most achieve this, but if an organization gets real clarity on what matters most (you can call them core values, guiding principles, whatever works for you), and if we as individuals do the same…it becomes much easier for us to make well informed choices about where to work. It also becomes easier for the organization to identify the right people to hire.
I believe that there is a whole bunch of dysfunction and inefficiency in the workplace that exists because individual and organizational values are not aligned. Organizations tend to have an espoused set of values that varies considerably from their actual values, so employees do not really know the organization they are going to work for until after they have been there some time, and many individual employees have not set aside the time, the energy, the attention to get crystal clear on what matters most to them. All of which makes value alignment a very hard target to hit.
These are the questions that you need to ask:
- What are the true values of your organization, and how did you learn them?
- What are your core values or guiding principles?
- Do these values or principles largely align with the values of your workplace?
Find some time to reflect on these questions in your future organizational planning and get closer to the meaning of authenticy.
Be good to each other.