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A Flourishing Culture: Values Alignment
Issue #416, February 11, 2026
Jesus invested time and energy to instill His values in the lives of His disciples. His first formal teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, begins with a list of values:
He said: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-10, NIV.)
Jesus begins His teaching, not with commandments for living but with values to practice. He wanted the values of His followers to align with His. His example guides serving leaders to clearly establish the values of the organization in ways that produce flourishing.
Values alignment brings flourishing by guiding actions.
The values Jesus described were not just great theories, they were meant to guide actions in daily life. He was focused on shaping behavior. Every organization chooses what actions are accepted and important. When done with intentionality and careful thought as Jesus did, this produces alignment and flourishing. Everyone understands what actions are expected and which ones are not.
Some leaders assume that people will find a good way to live and act while they are together without additional direction from the leader. But serving leaders carefully communicate the values in ways that guide the actions of those they serve.
Values alignment brings flourishing by setting standards.
The explicit list of values Jesus shared with His disciples set the standard for how they were to live. His values made it clear what behaviors were acceptable and at the same time clarified what behaviors were not acceptable. On several occasions He corrected them when their values did not represent His kingdom. He understood that values set the standard and everyone needed to be held accountable to live by the standard. He brought alignment by clearly setting the standards and holding everyone accountable to them. He understood that what leaders tolerate teaches values faster than what they articulate.
Some leaders expect that a list of values on the wall is sufficient to set the standard. But serving leaders talk about the values often and hold themselves and everyone else accountable to keep the standards that have been set. They work deliberately to get the values off the walls and into the hearts of their people.
Values alignment brings flourishing by shaping culture.
It was the expectation of Jesus that His followers would live out a new way of living and in time develop a new culture that reflected His priorities. Likewise, an organization that clarifies and lives out the values of the organization will develop a culture shaped by those values. Culture becomes powerful when everyone involved can say, “This is the way we do things here.” This becomes the foundation of a flourishing organization.
Some leaders allow their organizational culture to be shaped without intention. But serving leaders leverage the power of values to shape a healthy culture in which people flourish and the organization thrives.
For further reflection and discussion:
- Reflect on your own leadership journey in relation to how clearly you have aligned values in your organization. On a scale of 1-10 (10 is perfect) how would you rate your own leadership in this area? What has been the result in your leadership?
- In my organization are values expressed by default or by design? What can I do this week to more intentionally talk about the values which are important to my organization?
- Is there someone I know on my team that is violating one of our values? What will I do to address this issue?
- Do those I lead understand our values well enough to articulate them and help hold each other accountable? What can I do to strengthen this element of our organization?
- In addition to the scripture used in this issue, reflect on the following verses from the life of Jesus: Matthew 26:51-52; Mark 10:41-45; Luke 9:51-55, 10:17-20, 22:24-27; John 13:1-17. What additional insights do you find?
Until next time, yours on the journey,
Jon Byler
In the next issue, we’ll look at the next element of a flourishing culture: Mission Focus
*Note: This series is based on The LeadersServe Culture™ which is designed to help people flourish and organizations thrive. This happens when leaders serve. The LeadersServe Culture™ training provides an in depth look at each of these elements with practical exercise to clarify, communicate and cultivate each one into the life of your organization. For more information about this model and other training resources visit LeadersServe.com. |
