Invented by a Swiss engineer, George de Mestral, Velcro is a fascinating fastener requiring two sides - hook and loop. Practically, its uses are abundant. Conceptually, velcro takes on the meaning of connection. Velcro allows us to connect learning. Velcro guides our actions and behaviors. Velcro aligns our organizations. I learned about the concept of velcro from Dr. Ray Jones (@ReadingQuest). He describes the activation of prior knowledge as creating the velcro a student needs to be successful in a lesson. Without the velcro to stick new learning to, students are not able to make connections, make meaning, and move new learning from working memory to long-term memory. It is in the spirit of this idea from Dr. Ray Jones that I present velcro as alignment and congruence. The purpose of this post is to inspire reflection on your and your organization's values and beliefs and the actions and behaviors that stem from them. I also aim to provide one such way to work towards alignment and commitment.
Alignment and Congruence We learned from Dr. Stephen R. Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Principle-Centered Leadership) that trust is grounded in Character and Competence. His son, Stephen M. R. Covey, further expanded on those two foundations to define the 4 Cores - Integrity & Intent (Character) and Capabilities & Results (Competence) - in The Speed of Trust. For individuals to build trust and for organizations to build a brand, there must be tight alignment (organization) and congruence (individual) between beliefs, behaviors, and abilities; values, actions, and the delivery of results. I call this Intention-Engagement-Outcomes. How are my actions and behaviors in congruence with my values and beliefs? Are my values and beliefs made public by my actions and behaviors? Is my organization guided by shared values and beliefs? Are our vision and intended outcomes made public? Are the values, beliefs, vision, and intended outcomes shared throughout the organization and understood by external stakeholders? Intention: Values, Beliefs, and Organizational Vision Intention is half of the velcro. Intention is the internal process for individuals and organizations that is grounded in values and beliefs. Intention is purpose. Intention is the desired state or outcome of what we see and believe to be what we are about. Take a moment to think about your values and beliefs. Loyalty, duty, respect, service, honesty, integrity, and courage were the 7 values the Army instilled in me 20 years ago. They are the values I still hold tightly. Since then, I have added several; among them are family, education, and health & wellness. Take another moment to think about the values and beliefs of your organization. In Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS), our values are clearly articulated and are one half of the velcro: Put Students First, Seek Growth, Be Open to Change, Do Great Work Together, and Value Differences. In fact, these values are on every employee's signature line in every email. Now take a moment to think about how your values and beliefs and the values and beliefs of your organization were developed and learned. Are your values and beliefs communicated? What about your organization's values and vision? Were the values and vision of your organization co-created and therefore shared? Do all the internal and external stakeholders understand and share meaning? And finally, do your actions and behaviors align with your values and beliefs, and that of your organization? When each individual in an organization aligns their actions and behaviors to a shared vision built on shared values, that organization is aligned and will move toward that vision as one. The opposite can slow progress or worse, be detrimental to its success. Over the past 18 months, I've had the opportunity to work for Dr. Daniel W. Smith (@smith2dw), a leader who clearly understands the importance of a shared vision and how shared leadership is foundational to change and continuous improvement. Engagement and Outcomes: The Other Half of the Velcro Engagement and Outcomes are the other half of the velcro. Engagement is the strategic action we take to achieve our intention. Engagement is integrity - doing what we say we will do. Engagement is doing the right things (Drucker). Outcomes are the results of aligning our intentions with strategic engagement, continuously checking and adjusting along the way. Reflect on your values and beliefs you thought about earlier. To what extent are your actions and behaviors in tight alignment with your values and beliefs? Are there values you hold so strongly that you never compromise and are therefore congruent? Is there one (or some) you could stand to use a little tightening? For me, I am working on courage and family. I am looking for opportunities to call deep on my courage to do the right things in difficult situations, even if it makes me uncomfortable. I am also looking for opportunities to be the best husband and father I can be. Now, reflect on the values, beliefs, and vision of your organization. In VBCPS, our strategic plan, Compass to 2020, clearly aligns our actions to our values through four goals: High Academic Expectations, Multiple Pathways, Social-Emotional Development, and Culture of Growth and Excellence. How would you describe alignment of your organization's actions and behaviors to its values and beliefs? How about your responsibilities? Are you velcro-ing your actions and beliefs to the organization's vision? Shared Meaning, Values, and Vision One of the most effective ways to develop a shared understanding is through co-constructing meaning. In several different settings, I have had the good fortune to facilitate co-construction of meaning, values, and vision for teams. Although there are several protocols and combinations of the them (Chalk Talk, List-Group-Label, Affinity Mapping, Gallery Walk), engagement, voice, and transparency are critical to successfully share meaning, values, and vision.
As a parting shot, individuals who seek trust will aim for congruence between values, beliefs, and behaviors. Organizations that seek a trusted brand and commitment to continuous improvement will develop shared values and vision to which each member will "stick" their actions and behaviors. In an environment where leadership and decision-making are shared, there will be stronger velcro: Loop (Intentions) and Hook (Engagement and Outcomes). I believe an effective leader aims for commitment, not just buy-in. Through shared understanding, values, and vision, individuals and organizations will reach alignment, congruence, and commitment.
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