Pardon Me, But Your Values Are Showing

Cindi and I had an interesting conversation this morning about core values…

When we take the time as companies to actually define them, post them on the wall of the office, or have them engraved in granite within the lobby, at the end of the day, the question is...

Are we living them out day-to-day in the way that we operate:

With our team? With our customers? With our vendors? With each other?

We were discussing a company we both know, who have rock-solid-stated values, and somehow what they say and what they do really don't align. Not even a little!

I asked her… "So if I look at various situations going on currently in the organization… just evaluating those things, what would you say their core values are?"

What it looks like their TRUE core values are more likely to be...

– don't make waves/ leave well enough alone

– sweep all problems under the rug

– promote your buddies into leadership

– protect the status quo

– do just enough to survive

– cover your ass

– cover the ass of your organization.

Not necessarily in this order but that is what we saw.

And suddenly I realized again, that… It does not matter one lick what we say (even when it's engraved in stone).

What really shows up on a day-to-day basis is the way we interact in each and every instance, every day, every hour:

– with each other

– with customers

– with vendors, etc.

I know… this is nothing new for sure. We've all known forever, that:

– "It's not what you say it's what you do", and

– "actions speak louder than words".

But somehow… when a company began to define the outstanding things they wanted to be known for… their leaders had in their heart and in their mind the type of people they wanted to show up as in the world, and in the marketplace!

So here is what is missing…

It's wonderful and critical to begin with a statement of what we believe and the goodness we aspire to.

Somehow, one of the values needs to recognize that as humans, and as organizations… we often go astray.

And so one of our core values must be…

– Hold ourselves and each other to the high standards we have stated here.

And when we don't…

– Have the honor and courage to call ourselves back into accountability.

The good book says it like this...

"speak the truth in love"

So there you have it.

As you grow your company and your team… Always remember…

It is wonderful to define and recall our core values.