Nurse Next Door Home Care Franchise

What Do Core Values Do?

It s all about the right people, right?

What Do Core Values Do? Why Do I Need Them? (Well, At least the Top 11 Reasons Why)

I was asked a truly great question the other day. What do core values really do? Why do I need them? Now, my usual reaction to a question like this is to spit out the answer. I mean, I talk about this stuff all of the time, and I can give a pretty good answer. But I stopped myself. And I thought about the question. And I replied “let me think about it and get back to you.” So I thought about it. And then I went back to the person. Here is what I said.

1. It makes leading and managing your team A LOT easier. Core Values are a set of clear rules. And when really alive in a company, you don’t need a lot of other rules. You see, so often we create rules for the few who break them. But they, in turn, penalize the majority who don’t break them. Which doesn’t really make sense. A clear set of core values eliminate the need for a lot of these dumb rules. And when your team is living and breathing your core values, they usually do the right thing and make the right choices, making managing and leading easy.

2. It forces you to become better at hiring. Most companies focus on talent when they hire. And this is wrong. You can’t build a great place to work if you don’t hire for skill AND culture fit. By using your core values through your hiring process, you start to weed out the wrong people, and attract the right people. Which is a pivotal tool (the most important tool?) in building a great culture.

It s all about the right people, right?

3. It gives you your brand identity. How can you differentiate yourself in the marketplace? We often leave this up to the branding folks. But if you aren’t living your brand on the inside, how do you think you will live up to it on the outside, when a customer buys your product or service? By building your culture around your core values, and the aligning it with your brand, now that is a powerful brand. That is a powerful identity. Why should you be different to your customers then to your people? You shouldn’t. Authentic brands win in the end.

Your culture is your brand. (And your brand is your culture). That is why, at Nurse Next Door, we focus so much on our culture.

4. It makes your company perform better. I wrote a post “Culture Eats Process for Breakfast“. I love this statement. You can have the best processes in the world, but if you don’t have a strong culture to work them, it will only work so well. There is a reason why companies with the best cultures continually outperform companies who don’t. Their people work better. They are more productive.

Give me an awesome “A” player who is dialed into our culture working a bad system any day over a an awesome system being worked by a mediocre person who isn’t dialed in.

5. It provides a framework for decision making. When your core values are strong, they should be your guide to decision making. After all, they are your moral compass. They should tell you what to do. And what not to do. And if you can clearly communicate WHAT they really mean, then they become a powerful device in empowering your employees (especially your front line employees) to make decisions. After all, that is what we all really want, right? (See point #1)

6. It prevents your company from lurching from crisis to crisis. George Nadaff, founder of Boston Chicken, and my first teacher at MIT, said something that I have always remembered “business equals problems, problems equals business. No business, no problems, no problems, no business.” The fact is, running a business is all about problem solving. Constantly. And there is always a crisis out there. And what we tend to do when we run and build companies is lurch from crisis to crisis because we don’t have a clear path to follow, or an unwavering commitment to something really big and important.

Core Values keep you on your path (along with the other components of vision: purpose and the painted picture). They force you to make tough decisions that in the long run, are good for your company.

7. It is the one constant in your company that will never change. And that is good for your people. Think about it. Everything will forever change in your company. Everything is always in a state of flux. But sometimes it is just nice to have things remain the same. It is comforting. Well that one thing is your core values. Your people know that they will remain forever. They wont change. There wont be a new flavour of the month that they have to memorize. Or learn.

8. It helps to address the # 1 problem that companies face. In a recent Verne Harnish Insight, he write that communication is the #1 problem companies face. Communication is hard. And it becomes increasingly complex as you add people. Core Values won’t solve all of your communication issues, but it sure will a crucial role in improving communication through your company. Why? It provides a framework and a foundation for communication; a framework that all of your people can understand.

9. Your core values are the foundation of your culture. Without them, you cant build a long lasting, sustainable culture. Just like in point #6, when you build your culture around your core values, your culture won’t rise and fall with the times. Do you think you ever hear about those cool companies where they can bring their toys and dogs to work, and get breakfast served to them while at their desk in the tough times? No. Because these perks don’t mean nearly as much when the times are tough (either the company is running out of money or there is a recession – either / or.

The companies that you do hear about? That win the best employer awards year after year, despite facing the same tough conditions? Yup. The ones with a strong foundation of values.

10. It lets people be themselves. It lets your company be itself. Why? Because it is crystal clear WHO you are and WHO you should be at work. It is crystal clear what is acceptable. And crystal clear what is NOT acceptable. And when you let people be themselves at work, they will perform better. And be happier.

11. It elevates your uniqueness. When you really know yourself, you can let yourself shine through. And you aren’t afraid to show your uniqueness. Think Zappos. Think Southwest Airlines. Two radically unique companies, who let their uniqueness shine all the way through – from their culture to their brand. Why? Because they know exactly who they are. And their people do too. So they magnify their uniqueness.

And this is great for your brand. (And sales).