Values

matter... unless they don't. Many organizations, irrespective of their sector, proudly establish mission and vision statements alongside a set of corporate values. Unfortunately, these are often showcased while being fundamentally ignored. It is not that folks are purposely turning a blind eye to the corporate guide, it’s just that it is often fairly generic and pretty uninspiring.

Despite the importance of unique organizational values, many groups tend to select from a pretty small list, usually made up of a combination of integrity, respect, collaboration, honesty, quality, or innovation. Such broad values often fail to encapsulate an organization's distinct essence and impact. The reality is that these terms are inherent aspects of good business that need no explicit mention in a set of values.

Your values should reflect what you value. If possible, they should be yours and yours alone. Maybe they are a collection of individual words. Maybe they are concepts. Maybe they are poems or fables. The importance is that they matter to you and help support your larger purpose.

- One of Virgin’s values is “Delightfully Surprising”.

- AirBnB has “Embrace the Adventure”.

- Patagonia believes in “Use business to Protect Nature”.

In the end, well-defined core values play a pivotal role in establishing a connection and fostering loyalty with your audience. To secure enduring success and retain employees over the long term, it is imperative to establish and consistently adhere to certain non-negotiable company values.

What are yours?