Core values reflect the honor, passion, and communication of the organization. Customers reflect on them. Employees are motivated by them. Management is measured by them.
The definition of core values begins with,
- Vision: Goals, course, values, behaviors, and what is important to you.
- Mission: How you will achieve your vision
- Values; The human characteristics necessary to achieve the mission and vision.
These are the foundational system and processes to manage behaviors, performance, and employee satisfaction and retention.
Vision
Entrepreneurs generally have a grand vision. Typically, the vision begins on the back of a napkin, between dreams in the middle of the night, or over a beverage with like-minded friends. Suddenly, the vision explodes into a brand.
The magic of the brand evolves into a small organization. Managers, employees, and even customers contribute to shaping the brand. Sales grow, products or services increase, and the company expands its footprint. The small organization becomes a medium-sized organization with many employees and customers.
Perception and Culture
Employees establish feelings about the company and its management. These feelings establish perception and form a cultural environment. The cultural environment communicates a relationship and level of quality to every customer with each transaction.
Customer loyalty is built on the success of each transaction. Healthy cultures greatly contribute to the value of customer relationships. In fact, they contribute to competitive advantage.
Your Core Values Work – Until They Don’t
Frequent discussions of core values keep ego, behaviors and performance within boundaries .
Entrepreneurial spirit drives the organization until it doesn’t. Entrepreneurial spirit is slowly negated by daily challenges and structural deficiencies as the business grows. Incredible effort and long hours by management maintains the organization but fails to significantly grow the organization.
Leadership
Leadership and management do not share like job definitions. Leaders are stewards of the organization, its employees, and products. They facilitate and enforce the vision statement and core values.
Effective managers, on the other hand, are focused on the mission. They achieve objectives by facilitating the efforts of employees. They work within the boundaries of the mission and company core values. Effective managers are instrumental in deploying their organizational skills and execution.
Not everyone can be a great visionary. Highly effective managers are sometimes not outstanding visionaries. Sometimes leaders are not suited to be effective managers. By not understanding the difference we limit our potential.
Finding greater potential within yourself and the organization begins with understanding your core values and boundaries.
Quality systems and processes establish structure and perception. They contribute to the basic human needs of trust and respect.
Effective leaders value and enforce systems and processes. They work diligently to eliminate random acts of poor judgement, silos, and unfortunate behaviors by the organization. Most importantly, systems and processes focus on the source of challenges rather than symptoms.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]