ValuesJammer in the Spotlight

Who are you?

Ceri Williams – a proud Welshman (despite the recent rugby and football results) !

At work, I deliver lasting change by inspiring an improvement culture and radically re-designing processes.

A key part of my role involves coaching and developing leaders and their teams.  I love helping others succeed and seeing them realise their potential – it’s one of the most fulfilling and rewarding aspects of my role

 What are your core values?  

Creativity, Teamwork, Trust, Fun

Why did you join the ValuesJam community? 

I’m always on the look out for new ways of working.  I joined the ValuesJam community to discover how other members used their ValuesJam cards. By learning from others in the community I’ve been able to tap into a wealth of diverse expertise and insights that I may not have otherwise encountered.

How are you using/planning to use your ValuesJam card decks? 

BT has a very diverse workforce with teams spread across multiple geographical and office locations.  I love using ValuesJam cards as a fun (and fast) way to build and forge teams.  It’s a great way of getting to know colleagues and for growing personal connections with each other.  During project kick-offs I pick cards at random and we discuss as a team. 

 Apart from creating a fun and safe environment for open dialogue, it’s fascinating to hear the different perspectives, cultural insights, experiences and backgrounds that form the teams opinions.  

We use that as a platform to break habitual thinking and embed an inclusive culture.  Having open and transparent communication is vital when we share information, ideas, and provide feedback within the team.  It helps prevent misunderstandings, resolve conflicts, and ensures alignment towards common objectives

Fave rock n roll moment of magic from a ValuesJam session? 

I kicked off a recent kick-off workshop by spreading the deck of ValuesJam cards out on the table.  I challenged the team to agree on 3 cards that best represented their values as a team.  After a few rounds of debate and healthy conversation they collectively agreed on ‘Courage’, ‘Trust’, and ‘Teamwork’.

 Courage : They were determined to think ‘big & bold’, they did not want to settle or compromise on a sticky plaster to address the short term.  That would mean challenging the status quo and having some difficult conversations with senior stakeholders and operational teams.  

Trust :  They were all in it together so wanted to gain commitment from each other.  If you were given an action you had to deliver it to you best of your ability. 

Teamwork : The team needed to fix a complex problem.  No one person would have the answers, skills or expertise to solve it on their own.  They needed to work as a team to ensure success.

Why was this a fave rock n roll moment of magic?

This was the first time the team had ever agreed a set of values themselves before starting a project.  Their values acted as simple guiding principles that bound them together.  Despite many of the team not knowing each other previously, from day one they had something in common and had a shared purpose.

Some of the team explained that in the past values had just been imposed on them.  They were someone else’s values and not theirs, as a result they were just words on a page that had no real meaning, purpose, or buy-in.  Others in the team, said this was the first time they had even considered values.  Historically they had just been given tasks or objectives to fulfil.  Whilst they liked being outcome focussed, they loved how  using ValuesJam cards impacted the behaviours and dynamics of the team to achieve their goals.

How can more CREATIVITY improve the world?

Creative thinking allows individuals to approach problems from different angles and come up with innovative solutions. By harnessing the power of creativity, individuals and societies can create a brighter, more inclusive, and sustainable future for all.  It challenges the status quo, sparks curiosity, and empowers individuals to envision and create a better world.

Contact details

www.ceriwilliams.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/cerijwilliams

ValuesJammer Top Tips

Force rank the ValuesJam cards to help identify your core values.