Let’s talk about your company’s vision and values.
Or more importantly, YOUR vision and values.
Granted if you’re not a large corporate business, you might think it doesn’t really matter about being able to articulate what they are.
But what if it does matter?
What if knowing them, might give you some clarity on who you are, what you stand for and more importantly what you won’t stand for.
If you’re running a business or dream of starting one soon, being clear on your company values, might be the very thing that makes you stand out from the competition, makes you attract the right clientele, the right staff and help shape how you create and position your products and services both now and in the future.
You might have worked at a few companies that have these kinds of statements. Usually a list of fundamental beliefs and guiding principles about why the company does what it does, and how you’re expected to act and behave, whilst you’re doing the job.
But where do they come from?
Are they just buzz words that just sound like something we should be standing for?
I’m imagining half a dozen board members or members of a senior management team, chucking these words in to a melting pot and coming up with something that the majority mildly agree with.
You know, like aspire, achieve, dream.
Whilst there are plenty of companies with well thought out visions and values; I do question how a company that was once the vision of one person or a handful of people can in time come to include a whole mash up of many people’s views on how the company should operate.
And let’s face it. If you have ever worked for anyone other than yourself. You might say that you’re signed up to these principles, and that you thoroughly believe in them, but do you really?
I mean, that would be a pretty big coincidence that you want to live and breathe the exact same principles as the company you work for. Don’t you think?
Which is why, whether you are a small business owner or an aspiring one, you should figure out your personal vision and values as early as you can.
Imagine how much more invested your customers and future employees would be if they truly stood for the same things as YOU!
Here are my top tips on how to create powerful values for your heart centred business.
Make a list, but don’t select them from a picklist!
In selecting your values, resist the temptation to copy the values from a company, brand or expert that you aspire to be like. You might think you stand for the same things, but it’s really important that you start with YOU, with no distraction or chance of you unconsciously selecting values that only sound about right.
Simply start with a blank piece of paper and start to write down all the values that come to mind. Go for as long as you can and be open to writing down values you hadn’t even thought of. The beauty of this, is that there are no right or wrong answers. It’s not a test, so feel safe in the thought that you can refine the list later on.
Sort your values into themes.
Many of your values will be similar, they may even mean the same thing, using different words to articulate the same point.
Once they are in themes, ask yourself, are there specific words that resonate with you the most? Perhaps they summarise the real essence of all the other words combined.
If so, make a note of this, it could be something to work with later!
Seek the help of a coach.
Whilst choosing your values is a highly personal process. A coach can support you to question and get to the crux of why a vision and value is important to you. If you have too many values, they can help you to streamline them and help you to get clarity on how they fit with your larger vision for your company or belief system.
Be Bold
A lot of heart-centred businesses or soul driven entrepreneurs often have a difficult time of bringing their personality in complete alignment with their souls’ purpose. Often through the fear of being misunderstood or being ‘too out there’.
But the actual process of deciding on your vision and values, will actually allow you to reaffirm what is ultimately important to you and that which you’re unwilling to compromise on.
The very act of going through the selection process will back up what your soul knew all along and gives you the confidence to stand by what you truly believe in.
Do you have personal or company vision and values? Are you able to articulate them and live and breathe them through your day to day heart centred business activity?