When you are satisfied the list and all the action-oriented statements reflect what you want the value proposition to contain, you take still another step. Next is the gap analysis. You lose management credibility when you don’t model your values. So, spend time discussing each value in terms of what you say versus what you do. Ask yourself four key questions:
1. Is there a gap between what we say and what we do?
2. If so, is it a large, medium, or small gap to my employees?
3. How important is the gap?
4. Is it critical to our short-term or long-term plan? Which or both?
These are serious questions that must be answered to get you to action planning. All gaps must be accounted for and closed with a definitive action. You must immediately take to protect your story. These actions are a preemptive strike on employees so you are not caught in an inconsistent story. You confess up-front to any shortfalls and present comprehensive plans to correct the problems. Never ignore or cover up identified gaps. I promise you, it will come back to haunt you one day. Think about it. If you know there is a problem, then so do the employees. And they know you know. In summary, values are a cornerstone to your story. Careful considerations are made to define what operational values are and what the true, core values are. Separate out the short-term operational items and make them strategies or tactics. For example, teamwork may be important, but instead of restating it in the value piece, move it up to the strategies/tactics area. Then dig deep for meaning in four or five core values that drive your business’s very existence. Look for things that are so fundamental to your continued success there is never any thought of violating them.