My company is the result of a passion of mine—a passion to create people-centred workplaces, where employees will do great work and contribute to company success, where they will grow and thrive, and where they will feel included and supported.
Now that my company is up and going, I finally felt ready to tackle the topic of Values. It's not as easy as one would think.
Maybe this was a challenge for me because I don’t think Values are something that should just be on a poster on the wall. Nope—Values are something that should be lived and breathed by everyone in the organization. Accordingly, they have to be written with care and consideration for what the company holds true.
Once I thought about what I do, and most especially why I do it, I realised my values in life are also what I want in my business. They exist in the book I wrote (to be released Q1, 2020), the training materials I create, the content I deliver when speaking, and in the conversations I have with my clients.
Knowing all this, the process of writing C-Change’s Values flowed. Here, then, are my company’s Values:
Dedication
C-Change Learning is dedicated to the success of every person we support. We seek a human-centred approach to workplace management and will work tirelessly to support managers in their attempts to deliver it.
Appreciation
We value our clients, colleagues, family, and friends. They are the source of our success and our strength. In return, we offer our strength and support in the achievement of their success. We are grateful to all who work with us.
Engagement
We believe in the power of engagement and its ability to change workplaces everywhere. We will demonstrate this belief by encouraging the ideas and ideals of the people and companies we work with.
Respect
We believe in the worth of all individuals who contribute to workplaces everywhere. We exist to communicate the need for diversity in all its forms, inclusion in every way, and esteem for the excellence of people.
I encourage businesses, and teams within those businesses, to write Values. This exercise will bring teams together and unite them around a purpose. After the Values are written, be sure they’re lived. Talk about them, work them into the culture, include them in training materials, ensure all employees are aware of the Values and why they exist. I’ve seen companies build contests around them, use Values in Reward and Recognition programs, and include them in hiring practices. In short, fully incorporate them into what you do.
Values are intended to live within organisations, and not just reside on a poster on the wall. Crafting values is an amazing team-building experience—one I encourage you to undertake with your team. Set aside time to focus on development (this might take several meetings to get right). Bring in a facilitator if things get bogged down. (I’ve been called in to facilitate these types of discussions and can help you with ideas if you need them. Just reach out!) Most importantly, don’t give up. It might take a while, but when you and your team arrive at the right set of Values, it will be well worth the effort.