The beginning of a new year seems to me to be a good time to consider how we internalize the values in our organizations.

Andy Stanley suggests, “Just start celebrating what you value. People will value what you celebrate, and they will celebrate what you value.”

I’ve recently been reading, “Breakfast with Fred,” the conversations and ideas of Fred Smith, Sr, a mentor for many leaders such as Zig Ziglar, Philip Yancey, John Maxwell and my friend Steve Brown.

“When Fred was in his early twenties, he visited a cemetery and asked himself what he would want the epitaph on his tombstone to read. It was at that moment he chose the phrase that would set his life direction: ‘He stretched others.'”

That stretching led Fred to value conversations and the sharing of insights and wisdom. So much so that the “Breakfast with Fred” concept evolved as his health deteriorated as his breakfast meetings with a few moved online for many to read.

What does your organization value? How do you demonstrate that within your hallways?

My friend Ken Blanchard, author of more than 30 best sellers including “One Minute Manager,” begins every workday with a personal message to goes into the voice mail of hundreds of his staff and associates. I’ve actually been with him as he shared his morning message. Why does he go to such trouble? Because he values encouragement and teamwork.

It’s sad to say that in more than 20 years in our format I can count on one hand the number of hallways that were not littered with pictures of artists or gold records from the music industry, station awards, and maybe a glossy photo of a deejay or two. Almost NEVER do I see hallways that celebrate the station’s WHY and photos of those we claim we serve.

But it’s a new year! It’s not too late to start celebrating what you say you really value!

BTW, if your station has decorated its hallways with the things you value more than gold records, station awards, and deejay photos, please let me know. I’d love to be wrong about this.