Value Statements and Culture Change

A Value statement identifies what’s important to your organization, what it prioritizes, and how it conducts itself.

A Mission statement says why your organization exists, usually by saying what it aims to do in the short-term.

A Vision statement is a long-term view of what the organization wants to achieve.

The value statement should show what the organization believes in; it is the backbone of the organization.  It can be referred to as needed to define what to do next, how to act, and so on. Think of it as a set of guidelines that demonstrate the “soul” of the organization to whoever reads it. Adapted from https://www.process.st/value-statement/ 

Does your organization have these? It should. 

More specifically, if your organization has a value statement and works in the post-fire environment, does its value statement include a safety and health component? 

We need to have a culture change in almost every public and private organization that works in the fire and post-fire environment.  Everyone from the top boss to the newest part-time worker needs to understand that these are unhealthy environments and that everyone MUST use adequate and proper PPE protections. Change starts at the top. If you are the person at the top, you are the first-line change agent. Change will NOT happen without your buy-in. 

Performance management goals need to mirror the organization’s values. These provide the direction for employees and the necessary training opportunities for employees to do their job. In the fire and post-fire environment, this must include training on the latest research information on the safety and health hazards associated with this environment. 

To change, organizations must first overcome the collective internal challenges of innovation. Influential leaders can use their power to provide the necessary social energy to overcome these challenges. Conversely, status quo leaders can be a substantial impediment to change. What type of leader are you? What kind of leader do you work for? 

If you accept the value statement definition at the top of this article, the safety and health of every worker in the fire and post-fire environment need to be the top value for every affected organization. And you can’t just say it; you must do it every day and in every activity.