What are Your Core Values?

by | May 8, 2018 | Mind, Soul | 0 comments

Setting Core Values.

One of the first things I get my business clients to do is tell me their core values, what drives them? what do they need to project? How do you want to be seen? Whats their passion? and so on.
But not only do I use this form of questioning for my business clients, I now use it for my personal clients as we all have values and passions, we need to question ourselves at times and find out if we are following our core values, and if we feel we are not, What actions can we take to get back on track?
My first experience of living by core values came when I was working at PSN and oil service company in Aberdeen who went though a management buy out from Halliburton.
The then CO Robert (Bob) Keiller who lead the management buyout strongly believed in their core values which are divided into 7 core values, these were adopted by Woodgroup who bought the successful company after a few years of great growth. Bob lived and breathed these values and inspired his staff and collages to live by them also.
if you look at Woodgroups website you will see this statement:
Core values are at the heart of our business because they define who we are, how we work, what we believe in and what we stand for. Our core values set out how we act and how we expect to be treated as part of Wood Group and provide a sound basis to make decisions.

Robin Watson, chief executive

Safety & Assurance
Safety & Assurance is our top priority because lives depend on it. We passionately care about the safety of our people and behave as safety leaders. We are committed to preventing injuries and ill health to our people and those we work with so everyone returns home safely. We provide our people with the training, knowledge and tools to work safely and prevent accidents. We are focused on assuring the safety of everything we design, construct, operate and maintain.

Relationships
Our business depends on healthy relationships with customers, business partners, and suppliers. We build and nurture strong relationships that are mutually beneficial, making sure that we deeply understand the people we deal with, so that we can anticipate their needs and always aim to exceed their expectations. Everyone in our organisation contributes to the quality of the relationships we build and we actively seek feedback.

Social Responsibility
Being socially responsible is integral to what we do.We aim to make a positive difference to the communities where we operate and seek ways to assist them. We prioritise the hiring and development of local people and work with local supply chains where we can. We are committed to minimising the impact of our activities on the environment by conserving resources, reducing waste and emissions, and preventing environmental pollution and we work with our customers to provide the best environmental solutions.

People
People are the heart of our business. We are professional, high performing team players focused on delivering and drawing on our global expertise. We aim to attract, develop and retain the best people, treating each other with honesty, compassion and respect. We create a stimulating, fun and open work culture that promotes personal development and work/life balance, rewards competitively and celebrates success.

Innovation
Innovation gives us competitive advantage. We promote collaboration and sharing of ideas across our business. We have a structured approach to recognising innovations, rapidly testing ideas and sharing learning. We encourage our people to challenge established practices and achieve continuous improvement. We are committed to delivering thorough and sound solutions to every challenge.

Financial Responsibility
We expect to receive fair reward for our business performance. We are cost aware and carefully manage our own and our customers’ costs. We manage financial risk systematically and communicate our financial performance in a clear, concise manner.

Integrity
We are proud of our reputation, built over many years, which depends on us consistently doing the right thing. Integrity is our cornerstone and character is as important as ability. We build trust and act with honesty. We comply with our Business Ethics Policy, management system and all local rules and regulations. We foster a culture of transparency and responsibility. We investigate all violations and complaints and take appropriate action.

A great example of core values used at a high level.
There are many examples of core values this is from
Yourdictionary.com
Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person or organisation. The core values are the guiding principles that dictate behaviour and action. Core values can help people to know what is right from wrong; they can help companies to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their business goals; and they create an unwavering and unchanging guide. There are many different types of core values and many different examples of core values depending upon the context.

Core Values About Life

Often, when you hear someone discuss why they fell in love with a spouse, they will mention that they have the same values. In this case, they are often talking about core values, or internal beliefs that dictate how life is to be lived.
Some examples of core values people might have about life include:

 

  • A belief, or lack thereof, in God and/or an affiliation with a religious institution
  • A belief in being a good steward of resources and in exercising frugality
  • A belief that family is of fundamental importance
  • A belief that honesty is always the best policy and that trust has to be earned
  • A belief in maintaining a healthy work/life balance

 

Parents also try to instil these types of positive core values in children.
Of course, core values don’t always have to be positive. Some people may be driven by self-interest or greed, and these are core values too if they dictate the way the people live their lives.

Need Help, Book a Life Coaching appointment today!

Corporate Core Values

Companies can have core values as well. These are the guiding principles that help to define how the corporation would behave. They are usually expressed in the corporation’s mission statement.
Some examples of core values for a company might include:

 

  • A commitment to sustainability and to acting in an environmentally friendly way. Companies like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s have environmental sustainability as a core value.
  • A commitment to innovation and excellence. Apple Computer is perhaps best known for having a commitment to innovation as a core value. This is embodied by their “Think Different” motto.
  • A commitment to doing good for the whole. Google, for example, believes in making a great search engine and building a great company without being evil.

 

 

As you can see, many of the core values that companies have are similar to those that individuals might choose as guiding principles as well.
Companies may also have negative core values as well. Companies that are solely motivated by profit, such as tobacco companies who lied to their customers about the dangers of smoking, may have been driven by core values of self-interest and an overly strong profit motive.

Some Types of Core Values

There are countless types of core values, as you can see, so you will need to choose the ones that are right for you or your organisation.
Here are some examples of core values from which you may wish to choose:

 

  • Dependable
  • Reliable
  • Loyal
  • Committed
  • Open-minded
  • Consistent
  • Honest
  • Efficient
  • Innovative
  • Creative
  • Humorous
  • Fun-loving
  • Adventurous
  • Motivated
  • Positive
  • Optimistic
  • Inspiring
  • Passionate
  • Respectful
  • Athletic
  • Fit
  • Courageous
  • Educated
  • Respected
  • Loving
  • Nurturing

 


Identifying Core Values

While some people or companies might expressly publish their core values, often the best way to identify these values is to which how they act and behave. A core value is only a true core value if it has an active influence and if the people or company manage to live by it, at least most of the time.


Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-core-values.html#I8UaGrDTtHoiXQdL.99

You can see why I love living by core values and mission statements, like my own statement

I enlighten others to succeed though life’s challenges.


In life we live to certain standards and ethics which come from our learnings, learnt behaviours. when we apply  our own core values to our goals and needs for ourselves and others, we apply part of our own passion which comes from our heart.

So take that time out and look at your own core values and apply them to you goals and needs.

If you need help contact me Derek McGillivray www.ahappymedium.co.uk


useful links


http://articles.bplans.com/writing-a-mission-statement/


http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/mission-statement.html

 

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