Does your company have CORE VALUES?

Well, before we answer that question let’s first define what core values are. Core Values are the beliefs or attitudes that define what your companies driving forces are as well as highest priorities. These values are the guiding principals that define your company and its culture.

Core values are essential to not losing sight of what and how you do what you do. These are the values that create customer loyalty as well as allow employees to understand the direction of your company so they can better contribute.

A great question to ask when determining what your core values are is,

“What do we want outsiders to think and know about our company and how we deal with customers and conduct business.”

You can break down this question into three different parts, which will help you to look at these guiding principals from several different perspectives.

1) The first part of the question is, “what do we want outsiders to think and know about our company.”

2) The second part of the question is, “what do we want customers to know about how we deal with them.”

3) The last part of this question is, “what do we want people to know about how we conduct business.”

Most companies address these three areas, the identity of their company to the general public, how they handle customers and how they conduct business by establishing anywhere from four to ten core values on average.

By addressing these three areas you are setting the barometer for your organization. Effective organizations not only define these values in a clear, concise way but they also help to foster these values within their organization amongst their employees. In order for these values to stick and identify your company, your companies’ employees and your companies’ culture the following must happen:

1) Have your core values clearly written and visibly posted in a public place for employees to see. Some companies also post these values for their customers to see as well.

2) Values should be modeled on a daily basis in the way business is conducted both internally with other employees as well as those not in the organization.

3) Give recognition and/or reward those who embrace the companies’ values and consistently model them.

4) Organizational goals must be rooted in the companies’ values. If this does not happen then there will be confusion and lead to employees feeling misguided.

5) Hire individuals whose personality and goals are congruent with your companies’ core values.

Lastly, lets quickly look at some examples of values:

Accuracy, committed, confident, courageous, relevant, dedicated, dependable, discipline, generous, honesty, individuality, integrity, loyalty, optimistic, persistent, reliable, responsible, service, unique and teamwork

There are many paths to get to the end goal. The key is getting to the end goal. This will aid you and get you started in the right direction to thinking critically about your companies’ values.