‘Beliefs’ are for things that aren’t true.

‘Values’ are for what you don’t do.

Beliefs and values are abstract concepts that are prized by consultants who have fallen under the spell of psychologists.

They in turn entice leaders and HR people to waste millions every year on identifying beliefs and values in their organisations.  And possibly embark on programs variously to understand them, challenging them or change them.

Another way of dealing with ‘beliefs’ and ‘values’ is to stop treating them as if they were real things like IT systems or pay packets (which it can make sense to understand or to change).  Instead look at how the words are used in everyday language – that is in normal speech rather than as technical terms in pseudo-brain science or management jargon.

People only bother to say they believe in something when there’s a good chance that what they say they believe is likely to be challenged.  For example, ‘I believe in homeopathy’,  ‘The politician believes in strong monetary policy’, ‘Do you believe in God?’

And values are invoked when there’s a strong prospect that they are not being implemented.  When an organisation tells you that their top value is safety or putting the customer first, or a colleague mentions their integrity or respect, you’d better watch out.  If those don’t go without saying, you are entitled to be suspicious.

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