Week 3 – HOW Expectations
Listen to Lesson 10
You can read the text below or press play to listen. It’s the same words, spoken aloud. Choose what works best for you.
Lesson 10 Aligning Decisions Through Purpose,
Vision and Values
I’m sure you’ve seen them before. Purpose, Vision and Values framed on a wall in reception, sitting proudly beside the pot plant that hasn’t been watered since last quarter.
We’re told these things matter. But too often they become nice-sounding words that nobody can remember, let alone use.
The problem isn’t that organisations write them. The problem is that very few people know how to use them when they’re making decisions.
Instead of thinking about Purpose, Vision and Values as three separate statements, I’d encourage you to think of them as three parts of the same system.
Let’s start with the foundations.
Refer to the Aligning Decisions Through Purpose, Vision and Values diagram on Page 13 of your Blue Workbook.
Understanding the Three Foundations
One way to understand these ideas is to imagine climbing a mountain.
Your Vision is the view from the summit. It describes what success looks like. You’re not there yet, but it gives everyone something to work towards.
Your Purpose is the reason you get out of bed each morning and keep climbing. It answers the question, Why are we doing this in the first place? When the climb becomes difficult, Purpose reminds people why the journey matters.
Your Values determine how you climb the mountain. There are many different paths to the top, but your values help you decide which ones are acceptable. They influence the choices you make, how you treat people and what you’re prepared to compromise on, or not.
Individually, these three ideas are useful. Together, they become much more powerful.
How They Work Together
The real value isn’t found in Purpose, Vision or Values by themselves. It’s found in how they interact.
When Purpose and Values come together, they create a Rallying Cry. These are the phrases people naturally repeat. They become part of the organisation’s language and reinforce what matters most.
When Purpose and Vision come together, they create Commitment. This is the promise the organisation makes. It gives people a reason to care and helps build belief in the journey.
When Vision and Values come together, they create Strategic Priorities. These priorities help leaders decide where to invest time, energy and resources so that today’s decisions support tomorrow’s vision.
At the centre sits Aligned Decisions. This is the real outcome. When Purpose, Vision and Values reinforce each other, people make better decisions every day without needing to be told exactly what to do.
Why This Matters as a Manager
One of the biggest shifts from being the boss to becoming a coach is moving from directing every task to creating clarity. If people understand the Purpose, can see the Vision and know the Values, they don’t need you to answer every question.
Instead of constantly telling people what to do, you provide a framework that helps them decide for themselves. That creates better judgement, greater ownership and far less dependency on the manager.
Think About Hanoi
Watch the video of the roundabout in Hanoi. At first glance it looks like complete chaos. Thousands of scooters, bicycles and cars moving in every direction. Yet somehow, they keep moving. Nobody is standing in the middle directing traffic. Everyone understands the shared rules well enough to make hundreds of small decisions every minute.
Organisations work in much the same way. Purpose, Vision and Values don’t remove judgement. They provide the framework within which people use their judgement. Everyone will approach the work differently, but they’re all moving in the same direction.
Where Strengths Fit
This is where CliftonStrengths becomes so valuable.
Purpose, Vision and Values create alignment around what matters. Strengths influence how each person contributes.
Two people can share exactly the same Purpose, Vision and Values and still approach the work differently because they naturally think, build relationships, influence and execute in different ways.
As a manager, your role isn’t to make everyone climb the mountain the same way. Your role is to ensure everyone is climbing the same mountain.
Watch Simon Sinek’s TED Talk Start with Why and consider how your team’s Purpose, Vision and Values help people make better decisions in their day-to-day work.
You have completed this lesson
Remember to click the ‘Complete Lesson’ button