Have you Wasted Time Defining your Values?

If you had a meeting, got everyone’s view, and stopped after you’d put the sign up, you probably wasted your time.

Stating your values, whatever they are, and not living by them is pointless. It’s counterproductive, frustrates your team and patients.

Don’t agree your values because you think you should or it’s a good idea.

Don’t ask everyone for their views. It’s not about a consensus but imposing essential behaviours. 

Define your values because you want to describe the identity of your practice and are willing to live by them, always.

Defining your values will only be beneficial if they are never compromised.

They might be aspirational or describe positive aspects of the culture but make them rules built into everything you and your team do. At every opportunity use them to remind staff of expectations. Recruit with them, appraise against them, reward great examples and discipline when broken. When making decisions make them consistent with your values.

Publicise them to patients so they know how they will be treated. It will make things tough but will ensure you’re held to account and will help you stick to them.