Values

When it comes to organizational success, there are several reasons why identifying core values is important:

1. Define Company Culture: Core values help shape and define the culture of an organization. They provide a sense of identity and set the tone for how employees interact with each other and with customers

2. Guide Decision-Making: Core values serve as a compass for decision-making. They help ensure that decisions align with the company's mission and vision, promoting consistency and integrity in actions

3. Attract and Retain Talent: Employees are more likely to be attracted to and stay with a company whose values align with their own. This alignment can lead to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates

4. Enhance Brand Image: Clearly defined core values can enhance a company's brand image. They communicate to customers and partners what the company stands for, which can build trust and loyalty

5. Improve Performance: When employees understand and embrace the company's core values, it leads to improved performance. Value-driven organizations often see higher levels of engagement, productivity, and overall success

We typically recommend that a company focuses on 5 core values in a given time and is committed to taking action on those values.  It does matter which values that you choose.  Here are some ideas to contemplate:

• Celebrate decisions that serve everyone, are good for all people, at all times and will always be good

• Express expert opinion vs. mere opinion with clarity (be clear about where your opinion comes from and if there's research and expertise behind it)

• Only share with others what you have cultivated and embodied in yourself

• Challenge your own beliefs. What if I am wrong? What's a different perspective that I haven't considered?

• Do not choose suffering unless suffering is necessary

• Make decisions and take action only on things that bring virtue and esteem. Do nothing that you are ashamed of, for you will weaken you.

• Carry your responsibilities to completion and carry no one else's for them. Teach them to carry their own if you must but never do it for them.

• Actively bring gratitude in all things. Be grateful in all things and most especially for the struggle, for without the struggle there is no growth or wisdom gained, and nothing to celebrate.

• Seek Joy. Know Joy. Share Joy.

• Do not waste thoughts, emotions, words or action on that which has no purpose or does not make the situation better.

• Show the Way by embodying the Way in all things.