Values: The Intersection of Emotions and Metrics

"Values are not just words on posters - they are actions that shape company culture and team dynamics," writes top executive Sten Argos. In Estonia’s business world, openness, collaboration, and care have become key buzzwords, but their true implementation depends on individuals’ personalities and how leaders bring values to life in daily work.

In Estonia, values have become the pillars of companies—but are we ready to truly live them? Openness, collaboration, care, and innovation are values whose understanding and application depend largely on team members’ personalities. People from different backgrounds enrich teams, but can also create tension, as values are perceived differently. Using metrics and their interconnections can make adherence to values more practical and reliable.

Openness – golden key or delicate trap?

Openness is often one of the most cited values organizations strive for. However, openness has different shades, which may not always align. Some see it as the chance to put all topics on the table without embellishment; for others, openness can be a challenge, especially when feedback touches personal areas or direct responsibilities. Openness is easier when it doesn’t poke at our comfort zones.

According to the BIG 5 model, openness means a willingness to embrace new experiences—curiosity, imagination, and creativity—but in organizations, openness is often more complex. For some, it represents constructive criticism and quick progress; for others, a personal attack, leading to a defensive stance. This conflict can spark tension: if one believes openness supports collaboration, another may withdraw or even undermine teamwork. When emotions overshadow values, collaboration suffers and tensions escalate.

Collaboration – unifying force or hidden stressor?

Collaboration, linked in the BIG 5 model to empathy and consideration of others’ needs, is often central to organizational culture. Yet collaboration can also be a major emotional trigger. Highly collaborative individuals see critique and feedback as opportunities for growth and improvement—they take comments with a learning mindset and aim for the success of the whole team or company. Conversely, those with lower collaboration tendencies may perceive criticism as a threat or personal attack, triggering resistance and defensiveness.

These differences in perceiving collaboration often create invisible tensions that determine how effectively a team can respond to challenges. For some, collaboration encourages open communication and strengthens belonging; for others, it generates stress and emotional load. A truly mutually respectful and cohesive culture emerges only when leaders consciously manage the emotions associated with collaboration across different personality types.

Metrics for values – what should be measured?

When values are central to a company, it is sensible to track adherence in today’s environment. Metrics help make values more practical and monitorable, especially in fast-changing, decision-driven contexts. For example, a traffic-light system could be used: employees and leaders give green or red signals based on daily interactions to indicate whether behavior aligns with agreed-upon values, with explanations provided. If someone acts according to values like open communication or promoting collaboration, they get green; otherwise, red—guiding dialogue rather than resistance or offense. Everyone can provide feedback to everyone, results are visible to each leader, and teams can regularly discuss them.

Symbiosis of values and emotions

The intersection of values and emotions is where leadership can elevate to a new level. If core organizational values are interpreted alongside BIG 5 personality traits, it is possible to create a value scale that clarifies what each value means. This approach turns values into practical tools and creates a safe space for different personality types to express themselves and provide constructive feedback.

A deeper dialogue about perceiving values helps prevent conflicts and tensions that arise when one person believes they have followed a value, but another feels excluded or offended. A digitized red-green system could add transparency and lay the foundation for value-based collaboration in creating value—even during challenging moments.

Values are much more than words on a poster or PowerPoint slide; applying them requires awareness, courage, and constant reflection. Openness is not only about speaking the truth but also being able to receive it. If we truly want to honor values, we must create ways to measure, evaluate, and discuss them honestly. Values are a signpost guiding us toward our goals—if we learn to use them properly.

Published in Äripäev Personaliuudised, January 2025. Read the full article here.