Team values create team culture. They define behaviours expected from each member so they collectively operate as a cohesive team. Procurement team values are different from company values because they are specific to how the team should behave. Ideally, values should create high performance and reliability.
It is best practice to define values with verbs and action words. The list should be short and focused, not exhaustive. Values should describe trade-offs that help team members with their decisions. They can be co-created with the team to increase buy-in, especially when there are many existing members with long tenures. However, I strongly believe leaders should define team culture and not let the team determine its own culture.
Effective implementation requires including values in regular conversations, expectations and reviews. It also requires clearly demonstrating that upholding values is rewarded and violating them is punished.
My team values are:
1- Act like an owner: lead or co-lead your projects and ensure successful completion
2- Focus on the objective: drive savings and vendor selection instead of only following the process and coordinating activities
3- Deliver measurable results: outcomes over tasks/steps
4- Operate with urgency: speed over perfection
5- Find effective solutions: figure things out with collaboration and support instead of getting stuck
I’ve implemented these in a few ways:
1- Team meetings cover results and achievements, not updates. They also cover lessons learnt for everyone else on the team.
2- I use value phrases to provide individual feedback in one-on-one meetings as well as group chats.
3- I have used value ’emojis’ as reactions to group comments to re-enforce positive behaviours.
procurement simplified 