Maintaining high team morale and productivity can be a daunting challenge even when the going’s great. When faced with such uncertainty, teams become more exposed to the risk of becoming reactive and losing their sense of direction. This challenge, while frustrating, is entirely understandable because our cognitive abilities tend to falter when anxiety, worry, fear, or confusion set in.

When the going gets tough, it’s critical to take control of your environment. One powerful way to achieve this is by anchoring ourselves to our core values.

Values are more than just words on a wall. Values serve as the adhesive that binds our teams together. They are more than just a glossy mission statement hanging on the wall or a few words buried in an onboarding document. True values are actionable principles that should guide our daily work.

Bring Your Values to Life

Here are four actionable steps to integrate your values into the daily life of your pharmacy team:

1. Speak

Incorporate your values into your daily communication. Make them an integral part of your team’s language. When values become a common part of your vocabulary, they cease to be abstract concepts and instead become guiding lights for your team.

2. Test Decisions

Use your values as a litmus test for the decisions you make. Before finalizing any decision, ask yourself whether the outcome aligns with your core values. This alignment ensures that your choices are consistent with your team’s beliefs and principles.

3. Collaborate

Engage your team in a discussion about your shared values. Encourage them to explore how these values can be put into action. Ask for their input on how they would like to see these values manifested in the workplace.

4. Play

Take a proactive step in making your values tangible by trying this interactive exercise:

1. Write one of your core values on your communication board and keep a stack of sticky notes nearby.
2. Pose a question related to the value. For example, “What does integrity look like in action in our pharmacy?” or “What actions can we take to ensure honesty is honored when deciding on solutions to a problem we’re currently facing?”
3. Invite everyone on your team to write their responses on sticky notes and place them on the board.

This activity promotes awareness, understanding, and comfort around your values in action, making them more than mere words.

Embracing Values in Challenging Times

Focusing on values might appear counter-intuitive during times of crisis. However, as we contemplate our next steps and potential pivots, one thing remains certain: we need a motivated and engaged team to navigate the future successfully. This is as sure as the sun rising tomorrow.

Your empowered team is your key to a brighter tomorrow.