There is an increasing call for business leaders to better grasp and prioritise a values-based approach to running their organisation, especially if they want to take their people with them during times of inevitable change.
According to a recent article in Business Today, many leading thinkers and business practitioners advocate that true leadership is best expressed through the lens of values and beliefs. When these are modelled from the top by senior management, “the result serves to mould the broader organisation’s core identity and mindset”.
The premise is that the basic tenets of values-based leadership centre around striving for self-reflection in order to achieve a true state of self-awareness. Ideally, this in turn “motivates employees by connecting the organisation’s goals with their personal values”, with the company continuously communicating and demonstrating the application of identified values to accomplish its mission.
Winton Consulting CEO, Clare Dunnicliff has taken this concept one step further by saying a lack of authentic leadership and change sponsorship can be fatal for an organisation.
“When change is underway, the need to engender confidence is paramount when retaining and attracting staff,” Clare said.
“This can only happen through understanding, building and operating via a healthy level of values, with authenticity and trust at the top of the list.”
A forum looking at how values can support effective change during challenging times will take place at NeW Space, Hunter Street Newcastle on 1 November during Changing Ways – the second breakfast conversation in a special series hosted by Winton Consulting.
The panel includes CEO Greater Bank, Scott Morgan, who was the driving force behind the development and implementation of Greater Bank’s Blueprint for Change that guided the institution’s evolution from a building society to a customer-owned bank in 2016. Joining Scott is Greater Bank’s Organisation Change Manager, Vanessa Nirmal, who has a passion for building change capability and is motivated by engaging and empowering employees to meet organisational objectives during change.
“Given the recent spotlight on the banking industry, it is incredibly timely to share insights around the importance of authenticity and trust, particularly in a time when those values appear to be on shaky ground,” Clare said.
Changing Ways is a free breakfast forum for interested professionals and members of the public.
IMAGE | Changing Ways host and CEO of Winton Consulting, Clare Dunnicliff.
