Your company’s core values act as codes of conduct or “rules” by which everyone in your company operates. When your values are clearly defined and articulated, the result is a company culture that feels like a family and attracts clients who are a dream to work with.

Why Do Your Best Employees and Clients Do What They Do?

Why do your employees show up everyday? Is it just for the paycheck? Or is it more than that? Do they feel like they are part of a family—A community of people who care about and appreciate them? Are they passionate about what they do and why they do it? More importantly, do they feel like they are working toward a purpose?  

How about your clients? Do why do they buy from you? Is it because you’re the cheapest or most convenient at the moment? Or do they buy from you because they share your values and beliefs? Are they loyal to you? Would they continue to buy from you even if someone cheaper, better or more convenient comes along?

People like to work for, and do business with, people who are like them. When you have clearly defined values, you’ll attract employees and customers who share those values. And when you have a group of people who share similar beliefs, you have more than a business, you have a community! And communities, stick together through thick and thin, no matter what (that’s what creates trust and loyalty!)

So let’s get down to business. . . 

What are your company values? 

Most business owners, when asked to define their core values, respond with answers like: Integrity, Honestly, Authenticity, Trust, and Leadership. But, what does any of that really mean? 

I mean, if those are your parameters for hiring team members and doing business with clients, what is the metric by which you measure your success? I think most people would say that they act with integrity, are honest, authentic, trustworthy and have some degree of leadership skills. But that is all subjective and means something different to everyone. It’s vague. 

If those are your top 5 values, there’s nothing wrong with that. The challenge, though, is defining what those values mean to your company and how to use them as guideposts for decision making. For example, how should a team member demonstrate integrity, honesty, authenticity, trustworthiness and leadership within your organization? How will a client experience these same standards? 

Your company values should be more than words you write on your wall or post on your website. They should be codes of conduct by which everyone within the organization is expected to adhere. 

Here is an example of what those earlier values might look like: 

Integrity: We believe in keeping our promises and always doing the right thing (even if it’s the more difficult opinion). 

Honesty: We believe in being straightforward and transparent. We put it all on the table to ensure that every decision made is an informed one. 

Authenticity: We believe that differences are what makes us great! Your uniqueness is what we appreciate about you. Let your truth show. 

Trust: We believe in people before profit and we make every decision with the clients best interest in mind. 

Leadership: We strive to inspire others to be their best selves and believe that teamwork is the only way to make the business work. 

To see our company values, click here. You’ll find our top 5, plus an additional five that we’ve included to give you a deeper sense of who we are and what we stand for. 

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CEO “Take Action” Challenge

If you’re up for the challenge, ask yourself the question: What do we (as a company) believe in? Write down whatever comes to mind. You may come up with many answers, and that’s okay. Once you’ve brainstormed, try to narrow it down to your top 5. 

If you find this difficult, you might want to start with what frustrates you about your industry or competitors. How do you do business differently? What do you believe in that makes you different? 

Then, consider how your company is making decisions according to those values. Do all of your employees and clients share the same beliefs? If not, it may be time to make some strategic shifts to align your company with the values that will create a culture of passion, commitment and loyalty, from the inside out!