maximum frankness

I was doing an intake last week with a prospective client that was due to bring some bad news to his organisation. Well, let's be honest, he was having to say to his employees that the future of their company held only two possible scenario's: a change of ownership, or the company being dissolved.

What follows is not to ridicule this prospect, but rather to emphasize how extremely powerful honest and true values are:

(me) So, now that I know your goals, to keep the company in operation while its being put up for sale, what do you have that I can work with?
(P) What do you mean?
(me) Well, what are the characteristics of your approach towards your employees? Do you have for instance an exceptional social plan? Do you have values that can be applied?
(P) Oh that! Yes, yes. We are very much a values driven company.
(me) Great. What are they?
(P) What do you mean?
(me) What are your values?
(P) ......
(me) Take your time.
(P) ..... erm, hold on, erm... I know this....
(me) My point is...
(P) No wait, I was just looking for the right sentence: we preserve the quality and longevity of our employees career with our company"
(me) But you're basically closing down aren't you?
(P)...well, yes.
(me) Okay, not the easiest of challenges, but we'll make it work. How about your ceo? A values driven person?
(P) Oh yes, very much so. Stands for the principles and lives by them. Employees come first.
(me) When was the last visit here?
(P)....(looking at colleague) wasn't that two years ago, coinciding with that exhibition, that 20 minute town hall meeting we organized?
(me) Look, may I make a suggestion? You are confronted with one of the best opportunities for clarity you will ever encounter in the existence of your company. You can actually bring your values to life at a moment when it's most tough.
(P) How?
(me) By being true to the value you just described and putting it to work. Ensure you gear up a program that truly respects the employee - even if you're heading to a future where you'll have to ask them to leave.
(P) How do we do that?

I share this anecdote as I have once worked for a client that did adhere to its values. They made a social plan of such great quality, namely to ensure people were helped to find a new job rather than give them a severance package and "be rid of them", they not only kept a constructive atmosphere going, they also kept production going - which is the most complex objective in any reorganisation.

Values should be visible in every decision the company makes. Lived by them, they represent maximum frankness. And that is both effective and refreshing in times of trouble.