Values Dictate Behaviors

Your well-defined values should create all your systems and those value-based systems should then manage your business and the people involved.

Problems occur in companies when people try to manage people. The truth?––as far as the human species is concerned, we suck at managing each other!

We resist what others tell us to do.

This is one reason we say, “Information does not cause transformation”.

We need a better way.

Neurobiology tells us there is a better way to manage organizations than telling people what to do, and then rewarding or punishing them depending on what actions they take.

We have found that science reveals the internal values statements we make to ourselves dictate all our actions, thoughts, and behaviors, as well as the systems we create.

Interestingly, most of us have never considered our lives and/or our business operations as being directed by our values…but the neurobiology tells us they are.

We encourage all organizations we work with to hire, manage, direct, market, sell, etc. on what we call “meaning-values”.  These are the values that have deep meaning to us. For example, integrity is a critical value to many organizations.

Therefore, we work with companies to clearly define and state their “meaning-values”. Companies often struggle with how to instill grit in their company’s culture. The science tells us that grit in the face of adversity only occurs when people truly believe they are following what is meaningful and valuable to them. The result is people persevere…no matter what headwinds they encounter. This keeps the organization on an even keel.

We are continually working on Value-Meaning statements at The Learning  Code Institute. It is an evolutionary process that the team revisits often. Below is an example of our company’s “meaning-values” to give you a framework from which to build your own.

Please note that this value document is out of the ordinary but so is our company.

Each company has its own DNA. At the Learning Code Institute, we not only want to transform the world of learning and encourage behavioral change, but we also want to be a model of how an organization can be socially and financially successful by following a more enlightened path.

(Signed by each employee and consultants who want to do business with us.)

It is a Nobel Cause to use science to transform the world of learning, motivation, and behavioral change.

We are dedicated to taking the pain out of education and business and putting joy, purpose, and meaning in.

Our goal is to make learning the joyful and meaningful process that biology, evolution, and “The Great Spirit” designed it be.

We recognize that each of us is on a spiritual path and we are committed to supporting each other on those paths.

The Nobel Cause of our organization supersedes one person’s ego.

As members of this organization, we recognize the power of the ego.  We understand how the demands of our individual egos have the capacity to damage the organization’s ability to attain our Nobel Cause. Therefore, we strive to be AWARE of when our egos are interfering with the Nobel Cause of the organization. We give ourselves permission to point that out to one another when the ego is interfering with the company’s higher purpose.

Each of us does our part; we are involved; we strive to create a low stress, joyful, compassionate, meaningful, enlightened work environment.

We have a team that is committed to excellence in all we do. Our goal is to build a “best in the world” organization. In other words, if you are looking to just do “good enough work” the Institute is not the place for you.

All communication with those outside the company tells us our commitment to creating a low stress, joyful, compassionate, meaningful, enlightened work environment is the right path.

We treat everyone, in and outside of the company, equally.

We are a Learning company; each one of us is continually seeking to learn new ways to use science to accelerate the speed of learning and affect behavioral change.

We recognize that everyone is “a genius at something their neighbor is not”. (This is driven by genetic and neurological variation). This view of our fellow men and women demands that we respect them no matter where they are in their employment and spiritual path.

We use a circular org chart. No one is at the top. We are all on this mission together. This opens a space where people feel safe to tell their truth and creates an innovation/creativity space that lowers stress hormones and increases joy and fulfillment.

If you have concerns with anyone, your goal should be to reach out to them immediately and directly to resolve the issue. We don’t waste time, energy, or goodwill by speaking behind someone’s back. This takes courage. Our society has encouraged us to enjoy gossip. We don’t want to have this behavior in our organization; it is toxic.

We treat all consultants, stockholders, and suppliers as internal customers the same and who deserve to be given the highest service possible.

Fun is a major component of everything we do. While our mission is profound, our goal is to have the path to success embedded with Joy.

We treat everyone in the company as an internal customer and give all the highest level of respect.

We make an effort to suspend the judgment of others and events so we can see the reality of any situation.

Judgment forces us to only see one side of the coin. A coin really has 3 sides: heads, tails and the edge. From neurobiology, a position of non-judgment allows you to see all sides of the coin which gives a greater perspective into reality; it takes you out of judgment and allows you to ignore the ego that tells you that “You Must Be Right”. This position of non-judgment allows for a greater understanding of any event or interaction, which, in turn, allows us to successfully develop dynamic Learning and Transformational Environments.

If we have an upset with anyone in the organization, we will endeavor to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. We will take responsibility for our “ego’s” entanglement in the conflict. If you cannot resolve the conflict, you will reach out to others to help mediate in order to resolve the conflict.

No problem is presented without a solution being provided by the person presenting it…otherwise, it is just “bitching”. We are all part of the problem and the solution. This also goes for new initiatives. No new initiative is presented without a process for its implementation being presented by the person who first had the idea. This philosophy supports us all to do more Slow and Deep Thinking about how to reach our objectives. It also saves time, as at least one solution/process is already presented, and this adds clarity and gives other members of our team firmer ground from which to add their input.

You are permitted to have your ego upset for a few days (we are all a little crazy went our egos dominate). But after that time, you will take responsibility for resolving the conflict ASAP. We recognize that ego entanglement/conflict is a poison within the company; it will damage our Nobel Cause, productivity, joy, and mission.