The FBI’s 7 Core Values Every Organization Should Represent
This review will present the main ideas from Frank Figliuzzi’s practical and enlightening book “The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau’s Code of Excellence”. Figliuzzi’s story claims that the world can benefit not from particular FBI skills but from its efficiency and accountability policies.
This book’s thrust is how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operates on conduct codes. However, these qualities are not unique to the FBI. They can be used within any organization, college, school, or team, even within family members, and are essential to creating a value-driven environment.
You do not have to worry; this article does not contain spoils of the book’s plot. I can assure you that the parts I used to develop my ideas do not provide information about the main story.
The 7 C’s of code conduct
To establish and maintain its values against all threats, internal and external, an organization must be characterized by its inner excellence and sustain its high standards. According to Frank Figliuzzi, the FBI sets its expectations on conduct right from the beginning of an agent’s career. To achieve that, it comes down to seven essential traits:
- Code,
- Conservancy,
- Clarity,
- Consequences,
- Compassion,
- Credibility, and
- Consistency.
These seven C’s can be vague in this abstract; however, they underlie the organization’s strengths. Implementing the seven concepts could provide positive results on both organization and individual levels.
Code
The core values everyone in the organization should share and represent. Having clear company values helps you ensure that all your employees work towards the same goals, share the vision, and shape its culture. An essential element is that every business decision should be aligned with the code and its values.
Conservancy
The primary goal is to maintain and protect the worth of the organization and its assets. The assets might be related either to the human factor (i.e., knowledge, skills, etc.), the financial instruments (i.e., cash, inventory, etc.), or the organization’s reputation. People in a conservancy should consent to become pawns responsible for sustaining objects greater than themselves. As Figliuzzi says:
“It is about actively maintaining a cause, a principle, a mission, a value, or an entity greater than just you and your team.”
An integrated set of business processes, practices, and tools should allow the organization to define and deliver measurable improvements related to its goals and objectives. That would improve the organization’s worth, its ability to prioritize efforts and focus its resources on actions that will have the most significant impact and make the most remarkable difference.
Clarity
Per IPR Commission on Organizational Communication, “Organizational Clarity is the comprehension an employee has about the organization’s vision, purpose, mission, strategy, opportunities, challenges, priorities and competitive reality”.
The organization’s rules and priorities must be clear, and there can be no loopholes. Facts should be explained as clearly as possible under the circumstances before making any decision.
Within each organization should be certain bold lines that can not be passed, such as “violation of legal rules”. Every individual’s role and responsibilities in the organization should be well defined. If a line is crossed, every employee should be aware of what will happen to them.
Consequences
Within every code of conduct, each action has consequences. The organization should clearly state the range of the consequences for all its members, and if they misbehave, they should strictly adhere to them. All employees should be aware of the possible outcomes of their actions and consider their decisions and behavior.
Common penalties could include a range of verbal and written warnings, reduced job privileges, salary reductions, and in the most extreme cases, termination of employment.
Compassion
According to Dr. Thupten Jinpa in his book “A Fearless Heart”, compassion is a hallmark of strong leadership.
Compassion starts with empathy, the ability to recognize when someone is under stress or is experiencing distress, and then the willingness to help them reduce the suffering by taking action. This is not a fuzzy soft skill but an essential pillar that impacts the organization and its members who feel safe being in an environment where people care and are willing to help.
Credibility
To cultivate credibility, you must build trust, be consistent with anything you do or say, be accountable for your decisions or actions, be authentic and respectful. Outsiders must believe in the organization and the values it espouses. If people like you, they will trust you, be loyal, and do business with you. As Figliuzzi says:
“Credibility is the cornerstone of any value-based endeavor.”
Lasting and real values are impossible to be created if people do not believe in the organization. When you make a mistake, admit it and take the required actions to correct this error. Everyone should be treated with respect within the organization — not because you expect something, but because you know they deserve it. If an organization’s (or team’s) values are not aligned with a single person’s values, the system is doomed to fail.
Consistency
Finally, the organization needs to stay consistent in its devotion to the code and never compromise its standards even when (or especially when) a tremendous challenge appears.
If you want to ensure that your company stays consistent with the values you have set down in your code of conduct, you must encourage open conversations and reward leaders who embody your core values. If you stay consistent with your core values, you will remain resilient n the face of challenges and crises.
Final Notes
I prefer this type of organization management. There are strict lines that let you know precisely what is expected of you and your co-workers. Everyone is accountable for his actions and gets what he deserves depending on his efforts and the results he brings, either on a team or personal level.
