Its important that you give your deeper and wiser parts of your being a chance to bring forth messages you may not have considered before. Some people call this thinking out of the box, and others, emotional intelligence. Allow your mind and feelings to be as flexible as possible. Too often our critical mind is what keeps us from being what God intended for us to be. In Romans 12 Paul goes into great detail to show that God demands that we use our gifts to fulfill various ministries. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith (Romans 12:6). Faith expresses itself in obedience to the gifts given to us.
In an effort to understand how to clarify values, I conducted a career choice exercise with members of my church who were either graduating from high school or college to embark on new careers, looking to re-enter the workforce, as well as persons working in stable jobs who are considering a career change. This activity stimulated the exploration and discussion of the integral role that values play in personal career development. I began by discussing self-knowledge and values as they pertain to ones choice of careers. This encouraged everyone to consider how their own values affect their lives.
Each member articulated one of their most important values onto index cards. The remainder of the exercise involved swapping, selecting, and trading value cards. I discovered that there were three distinct perspectives by which the group viewed values:
Organizational Commitment The things that bind people to the organization.Commitment, Communication, and Motivation resonated throughout the discussion and served to bridge discussions regarding the alignment of values. Focusing on these core values will help you to take charge of your future.
Personal Motivation
Why are people compelled to do things for themselves, their teams, or organizations?--Motivation! Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses someone to take action toward a desired goal. Stimulation to a high level of feeling or activity can only be accomplished through motivation. However, personal motivation assumes that superior performance starts with the individual. Motivating oneself is the ability to be hopeful and optimistic despite obstacles, setbacks, or even outright failure (Daft, 1999, p. 347).
When it comes to creating motivation, money is definitely not everything. Surveys consistently reveal that while people need a certain basic financial reward, this seldom get their juices flowing. What really makes us feel connected to a team or organization normally involves the questions like: Whats in it for me; Do I fit in; Can I make an impact, Does it mean anything; Can I express myself? Theres got to be some sort of personal connection that motivates us to give our best. This may be because we feel we belong and know we can make an impact, or because the organizational values have meaning for us and aligns with our values and integrity. Leigh and Maynard (2004) argued Ultimately, we need to feel that we can express ourselves in the role we are performing (p. 12). Part of the connection involves a definite sense of belonging.
Self motivation first demands the raw material. You must first develop the necessary skills and capabilities to complete the task. Motivated people have energy to get things done but they must also be committed to harnessing their energy. This happens when people are closely in touch with their passions and interests. You tend to exude vitality when you have a strong personal connection, either with a particular enterprise or with your personal vision, and are able to be a chooser rather than a victim (Leigh and Maynard, 2004, p.39).
Authentic Team Communication
Team members have different ways of listening, learning, and expression. Therell be times when whats good for the team may not be the best for an individual. Holliday (2001) claims that balancing individual needs and team needs is as tough as looking at the short-term and long-term goals you are constantly reassessing. For effective teambuilding, you must be able to authentically communicate with team members and understand how your personal motivations fit with the motivating force of the team.
Developing the kind of relationships needed for a team to perform outstandingly is a complex issue. Teamwork requires a collective will not an individual wont. Real teams depend entirely on there being something personally at stake for each team member. Whether there are exciting benefits from being involved or acute losses, team members give their best when they have a strong investment in the success of the team. Jones (1995) suggested People are more willing to give up something if they can attain something else of perceived greater value (p. 200).
Superior-performing teams establish trust because people talk to each other with respect, which supports and encourages their work together. Respect goes deeper than mere politeness; its about showing that you value your team members and believe in their contribution, while staying alert for ways to help them improve their performance. The crucial element is a heightened ability to listen. The act of good listening affirms others, build trust, and suppresses personal judgments that shapes perceptions (Daft, 1999, p. 160)
Organizational Commitment
During the closing discussions of the career choice exercise I asked "What do you do in the absence of policy?" the responses were varied. Some answered that they simply do what theyve always done. Others stated, "I ask someone in charge," or "I ask someone who's been here longer," or "I act as conservatively and safely as possible." The most profound answer came from the youngest person in the room: "I do the right thing." Doing the right thing will never cause long-term problems, and while it can cause momentary discomfort or short-term loss, when an entire organization and its employees act that way, there is never a chance that the sexual harassment or the racial behaviors will endure.
Because of its intangibility, commitment can be difficult to incorporate as an essential component of high-level performance. Commitment alters people inwardly so that they think and act differently, often performing beyond their own and other peoples expectations. Though it may be difficult, most people would you rather be striving for something special rather than working towards the ordinary. Daft (1999) asserted Many people commit their time and energy voluntarily to causes they believe in a political campaign, the animal rights movement, environmental causes (p. 128). The problem is that many of these same people leave go to work everyday with very little energy or enthusiasm because there is nothing in their work that inspires them. If you desire to be a part of a great organization, then you must actively seek organizations with clear values that manifest themselves in everyone's behaviors.
Aligning Values
The organizations culture provides its members with a common viewpoint or shared beliefs that bind us together. It helps us understand the activities of others in the organization, and it guides our own activities within and on behalf of the organization. Because the shared beliefs include values about what is desirable and undesirable how things should and should not be, they dictate the kinds of activities that are legitimate and the kinds that are illegitimate. (McLaughlin, 1999, p. 67).
In a traditional setting the executives are responsible for developing and communicating organizational values. However, contemporary organizations strive to achieve a higher level of commitment. This requires that everyone buy into the organizational values which are accomplished by encouraging the hearts and minds of employees. You need to see the connection between your actions and a greater purpose. (Jaffe, 1993, p. 20).
References
Daft, Richard L. (1999). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Forth Worth, TX. The Dryden Press
Holliday, Micki. (2001). Coaching, Mentoring and Managing: A Coach Guidebook. The Career Press, Inc. Franklin Lakes, NJ. p. 200
Holy Bible. (1997). King James Version. Zondervan Publishing, Grand Raids Michigan
Jaffe, Dennis T. (1993). Organizational Vision, Values and Mission. Menlo Park, CA, USA: Course Technology Crisp.
Jones, Laurie B. (1995). Jesus, CEO. New York, NY. Hyperion
Leigh, Andrew and Maynard, Michael (2004). Dramatic Success!: Theatre Techniques to Transform and Inspire Your Working Life. Yarmouth, ME. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
McLaughlin, Janice. (1999). Valuing Technology: Organizations Culture and Change. London, GBR: Routledge.
Home Page
