Inconvenient Values

  

When living in the South and your school is a member of the SEC conference, football becomes almost like religion for many in Arkansas. It's not a religion for me, but there are few that would be as big a fan as I am..

This week our football coach Bobby Petrino has been suspended from the head "hog's" position while an investigation is in process to determine if he can keep his job.

There seems to be a problem for many because he has brought a winning record to our state the likes of which we have not seen in 30 years. How can they possibly fire a guy who has brought victory on the field and millions of dollars into the athletic program?

 

 

Who cares that he was cheating on his wife, with a 25 year old employee who was promoted to a better job within his department just a few weeks ago? Who cares that he lied to his boss and the public? What does it matter that he has brought embarrassment to the State and our University? Why should parents reconsider sending their son's to play for a guy who has little respect of morale standards? It's about winning right?

Maybe it's just a inconvenient values issue.

 

 

Martin Luther King said that ..."I have a dream. That one day a man will be judged by the content of his character and not the color of his skin." In contrast, in a recent poll 95% of African American's said they would vote for Obama JUST because "he's Black."

 

 

What does it matter that he supports the killing of unborn babies? That his administration has piled more debt on the America people in 3 years than all presidents before him? That he has instructed his own Justice Department to not defend the "Defense of Marriage Act" (1996.) Does it matter that our politicians do not adhere to the oath of office? That they swore to uphold the laws of the land and our constitution? After all, he's our first black president.

 

 

It may just be a an inconvenient values issue..

 

 

When President Clinton humiliated the office of the Presidency, many folks said things like "what does it matter what he does in his personal life?" I could go on and on with other notable indiscretions and flat out disgusting examples but I won't. I think you see where I'm going with this.

 

 

It's discouraging for me to witness the same kind of "inconvenient value" behavior played out in the business world every day in our country.

 

 

Examples....Managers and leaders who drop the "F" bomb word in meetings and in every day hall way language. Unprofessional actions inside and outside the walls of the company. Shading of the expense reports. "Sticking it" to the customer for a little more profit. Contempt for customers and employees. I see it often and I bet you do to.

 

 

Henry Russell Sanders famously said "Winning isn't everything; it’s the only thing" ... REALLY?

 

 

So what can WE do about the apparent deterioration of these inconvenient values and the continued morale decline in our organizations?

 

 

> Well, of course, the first thing is to start with YOU. As I mentioned in my last article, I have a purpose statement supported by a set of Values and Principles to guide me toward that purpose.

 

 

> If you have "Value" Statements hanging on the walls of your company or printed on cards to be handed out as part of "orientation" then insist that they are adhered to.

 

 

> Asking people to regurgitate the Values is less important than asking employees what they mean to them and the future of organization.

> Make organizational values part of your weekly meetings with your employees. Not just the words, but the application.

> Get rid of those who refuse to share the values of the organization and demonstrate their rebellion.

 

 

Companies like "Chick fil A" or people like Tim Tebow might take some tough shots for their stand on values, but they are successful and can sleep at night.

 

 

Business is hard enough as it is, don't put more burden on the organization because you must work around those inconvenient values.

 

 

Do the right things for the right reasons and you will be successful.