Small Word, Big Meaning (How to share values)
You have identified a magic word. It is THE key value, principle, attribute or idea that will guide the strategy, task, or team. For you it has layers of rich meaning, deep thinking, light-bulb situations and nuance. But the person in front of you hears a blank buzzword.
Here are some approaches to get a teflon subject to stick, taking for example “accountability”.
Find the value proposition
Articulate why people want to own that bland or even onerous thing. How does it make the owner look good?
Example: “To me, accountability reveals courage, maturity, self awareness, and the strength of character to make lemonade from other peoples lemons.” This is behavioural modelling, the secret to advertising, film stars and fashion, and FOMO.
Personalise and humanise a cautionary tale (mis-model the virtue)
You can demonstrate there is life after a ‘wrong’ choice, action, or value. Make sure it matches the audience.
Example: “When I was in role x, I got overwhelmed, and focussed on other people’s inadequacies instead of my solutions. Basically, I could have averted a failed project of xyz consequences. It took years for my boss to trust me again. You really miss accountability once you prove yourself unworthy of it.
Model the virtue
If you are talking about accountability, take accountability - Look for an angle to model the behaviour in question.
Example: “I acknowledge this breakdown of clear accountability is on me. When you or anyone is unsure, please cut through my distractions and raise a flag. To make it real, use the red-cards by my door.”
Learn to create a parable
Find a way to distil the message that is a thought-provoking and contagious one-liner, yet difficult to misinterpret. JF Kennedy captured accountability with “Success has many (parents), but failure is an orphan" - a stinging rebuke of those who lack self awareness of their part in a failure, or worse, slink away from it.
An example (not about accountability) of Abraham Lincoln's storytelling is his "Clarity Before Action" approach, conveyed in his statement: "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." It has not been surpassed as a reminder to clarify goals, have a plan, and equip the team properly.
Turn a word (e.g. a value) into a conversation
…and crowd-source complex meaning. Commonly known as ‘a discussion’, one-way and one-dimensional ideas (like ‘be accountable”) flesh out as different perspectives layer onto it. Any email, article, boardroom whiteboard, meeting or channel can be a discussion if you invite reactions.
Use the ‘3 Act Story’ Template:
This classic storytelling framework works by breaking down the message into three parts: Setup, Tension, and Release. It's adaptable for leaders communicating values, goals, or behavioral changes.
Act 1: Setup/Introduction:
Define the Value or Goal:
Example: “Accountability is about owning your choices.”
Higher impact example: Set the scene with an invitation to picture something good or bad: “Imagine if no-one was accountable for rubbish collection”.
Tip: Wry humour can engage “We really like it when other people are accountable”
Act 2: Tension/Struggle:
Identify the Barrier: Present real challenges that occur when this value isn’t upheld. Use vivid scenarios to make it relatable.
Example: “Project/thing/event x is coming up, and if one piece falls through a gap in ownership, the whole house will collapse”.
Higher impact example: Or use a famous case study - aerospace and health are good places to look. “NASA’s Mariner 1 satellite mission crashed due to a missing hyphen of code. NASA explored accountability to make sure it couldn’t happen again.”
Tip: Questions or hypotheticals instead of statements are high impact, as they are interactive, e.g. “If you were in charge of NASA, would you have explored accountability to make sure it couldn’t happen again?.”
Act 3: Release (Call to Action/Outcome):
Highlight the Path Forward: Offer the solution as a set of behaviours.
Example: From now on, we spot gaps in accountability, make sure I‘m paying attention, check in with each other, watch for stress fractures appearing, and speak up early.”
Tip: End with the ‘zoom-out’ reflection that shows a big picture and a view of ‘happily ever after’ outcome: “Accountability sometimes stings, and that’s a key part of EVERY career - but we use it to grow, not to belittle”.
References and reading:
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Random House.
This book explores how simplicity and storytelling make ideas more memorable and impactful, particularly in complex areas like values and culture.
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Yale University Press.
Thaler and Sunstein's work discusses how subtle interventions, or “nudges,” can significantly influence people's behavior, supporting the point about incorporating nudges into organizational planning.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. John Wiley & Sons.
This book emphasizes the importance of leaders modeling the values they wish to see, providing a solid foundation for the tip on demonstrating desired behavior.
Gino, F. (2018). Rebel Talent: Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life. Dey Street Books.
Gino’s work shows how applying unconventional thinking and actions can foster creativity and innovation, supporting the idea of translating abstract values into concrete behaviors.
Eisenberger, R., & Cameron, J. (1996). Detrimental effects of reward: Reality or myth? American Psychologist, 51(11), 1153–1166.
This article discusses how consistent and intrinsic motivation, rather than just rewards or punishments, can shape long-term behavior, supporting the argument about consistent messaging and nudges.
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Science, 185(4157), 1124-1131.
Tversky and Kahneman’s research on cognitive biases can be applied to how employees interpret organizational messages, emphasizing the importance of clear, simple communication to influence behavior effectively.
