August 28 2023
By: Shawn M. Galloway
Most large corporations understand the importance of shaping culture by prioritizing the creation of desired beliefs, behaviors, and values. Organizations' most common approach is to develop and communicate the values important to shape business decisions. These are often referred to as core values. But how core are they? 
Whether true or not, beliefs are how we see the world and what we experience. Behaviors are what someone does, says, how they say it, the words they use, their body language, and their work product. They are observable acts. Values are principles or the standards we set for desired behavior and what we judge as important.
I frequently encounter three types of company values during my work with clients:
- Core — what the organization judges as important and you find listed along the organization's mission and vision
- Situational — what an employee experiences when the core values are demonstrated, but often this is the exception, not the rule
- Operational — what people most commonly experience while conducting their work
Consider the values employees experience within your company. Which ones are core, situational, and operational?
"When you know something to be true in your very core, there is no need to shout it from the rooftops." — Basetsana Kumalo
"Leaders, companies or individuals guided by situational values do whatever the situation will allow, no matter the wider interests of their communities." — Dov Seidman
"The question is not, do you have conflicts? The real question is, are you aware of your conflicts?" — Abhijit Naskar
Shawn M. Galloway is the CEO of ProAct Safety and an advisor to leading organizations across all major industries. With over twenty years of experience in safety systems, strategy, culture, leadership, and employee engagement, he is a trusted advisor, keynote speaker, and expert witness.
He is the author of several bestselling books and has multiple regular columns in leading magazines, with over 400 articles and 100 videos to his credit. He also created the first safety podcast, Safety Culture Excellence, with over 800 episodes. Shawn has received numerous prestigious accolades and has been featured in Power 101 Leaders of the EHS World, Top 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS, Top 40 Rising Stars, Top 11 Health and Safety Influencers, and Top 10 Speakers.
He serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council and the Fast Company Executive Board. He has appeared as a guest on Bloomberg, Fox News, The Daily Mail, Dubai One, U.S. News & World Report, Sirius Business Radio, Wharton Business Daily, and leading safety magazines and podcasts, reinforcing his status as an authority in the field of safety excellence.
For more information, call +1.936.273.8700 or email info@ProActSafety.com.
