Translating between Value Languages
What if the key to better collaboration isn’t changing your priorities, but changing how you communicate them?
In leadership and innovation, your values are your compass, but translating those values into the "value language" of others is what unlocks true alignment. For instance, if you value efficiency, communicating this without consideration can alienate someone who values quality and care. However, framing efficiency as a means to ensure the time and focus necessary for quality can turn potential opposition into agreement. Here's how to do this effectively, with examples from my career and insights from top leaders:
1. Know the Difference Between Priorities and Perspectives:
When leading a product development project, I noticed that efficiency-focused suggestions sometimes clashed with creative teams’ emphasis on craftsmanship. Instead of insisting on timelines, I reframed the conversation: "How can we streamline workflows so there’s more time to refine the details you care about most?" The result? Timely delivery *and* exceptional quality.
2. Listen Before You Lead:
Great leaders listen not just for answers but for values. Satya Nadella of Microsoft revitalized the company by shifting its focus from being "know-it-all" to "learn-it-all." When introducing AI-driven tools, his team listened to employees' fears about job replacement and reframed the innovation as a way to *enhance human creativity*, not replace it.
3. Use Shared Outcomes as Bridges:
At a cultural insights agency I worked with, clients often valued immediate ROI, while our team emphasized long-term brand trust. By presenting cultural insights as a way to achieve both quick wins and enduring customer loyalty, we bridged that gap—and created stronger partnerships.
4. Communicate in Context:
Consider Pixar’s approach to creativity. The studio is known for its "plussing" method, where feedback isn’t about cutting down ideas but improving them collaboratively. For example, instead of saying, "This scene doesn’t work," a leader might say, "How can we make this moment resonate more deeply?" It’s the same goal, but framed in a way that aligns with creative values.
5. Reframe Innovation as Enabling, Not Disrupting:
When leading teams, I found that introducing new tools or methods often met resistance. Instead of positioning innovation as "new," I emphasized how it would *enhance existing strengths*. For instance, adopting data-driven storytelling wasn’t a replacement for creative intuition—it was a way to amplify it.
Translating your values into the language of others doesn’t dilute your vision—it strengthens it. It’s about aligning motivations to achieve a shared purpose.
How have you navigated these dynamics in your own work? Have you had to reframe your priorities to bring others on board?