When you are choosing a position, alignment of values ought to be part of your criteria. You should be able to articulate your core values, including what you expect from company culture, from professional interactions and from professional services. When you say yes to a job, you want to be able to confidently say yes to what that company stands for and how it treats its people inside and outside the company. If you can’t stand up for their values, you may find yourself walking out the door. Or being escorted out!
When someone gets fired, there is a good chance there is a clash in values.
When someone quits a job, differences in values are often the deciding factor.
When people start sabotaging their work performance, with actions like showing up late or doing a poor job or being disagreeable in a meeting, undermining behaviors often stem from differences in values.
Values can be the deal breaker in job satisfaction.
It’s nearly impossible to bring your best to an organization that conflicts with your values, says Kristi Hedges of the Harvard Business Review. Ensuring that a company shares your values from the outset is a threefold process: First, you need to identify your own core values; next, ask the right questions during the interview process; and finally, conduct your own assessment to see if your values match those of the organization.
Your homework is to identify core values that guide your work, influence how you make decisions and interact with others.
When you are interviewing, have questions prepared to help you assess organizational values. These can include how company sets work priorities, criteria for taking on new clients or new projects, standards that are used to evaluate performance, and characteristics of staff who succeed in the company.
Don’t be shy about asking what the company stands for in its work and with its staff. When a hiring manager can articulate company values, that’s evidence of transparency and to “walking the talk.” That transparency will help you determine if there’s alignment and a strong match or not.