Helping You to Understand Your Final Values

I’m hearing the conversation about values again.

Let’s not over work this. A value is something straight forward. A value or values are deep seated beliefs that motivate behaviour. They are a standard that you consider important and help provide you with a platform for what is right or wrong.

You can find your values simply by noting what motivates you, what brings out that energy in you and the people around you.

In business a value is a guiding principle that shapes a company. It’s not about what core values a business has, but that a business has a core value.

Values are not a trend, they need no external justification, they do not change with the times nor market conditions.

Your value identifies what sets you apart: What it is about you or your business which is unique and what sets you apart from your competitors. Values identify what underpins your competitive advantage and what you promise to deliver to the world.

How many times have you seen values expressed as honesty, integrity, or transparency? Many times, I bet. I don’t know about you, but I won’t engage in or with someone who lacks honesty and if I don’t understand what I am dealing with I simply walk away.

Compare this to Amazon’s values of customer obsession not customer focus, a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and long-term thinking. What about Meta? Its values include moving fast, focusing on the long-term and building awesome things to name a few. I think it’s clear where these businesses stand.

What about you? What are your values? What sets you apart?