I had a wonderful salad yesterday at the new Sweet Green in Indianapolis. It's January (Salad Season!), so predictably the place that prides itself in fresh, healthy options, was packed, and the "fry" places all around it were empty. While waiting in the long line, I had time to look around, and posted behind the kitchen was a board with the Sweet Green core values. (If you don't know Sweet Green, it's a build-your-own kind of fast-food restaurant that's environmentally focused). Here's how the values read:
Sweet Green Core Values
Win, win win: Create solutions where the customer wins, the community wins, and the company wins.
Think sustainably: Make decisions that last longer than you will.
Keep it real: Cultivate authentic food and relationships.
Add the sweet touch: Create meaningful connections every day.
Make an impact: Leave people better than you found them.
Live the sweetlife: Celebrate your passion and your purpose.
Sweet Green Core Values
Win, win win: Create solutions where the customer wins, the community wins, and the company wins.
Think sustainably: Make decisions that last longer than you will.
Keep it real: Cultivate authentic food and relationships.
Add the sweet touch: Create meaningful connections every day.
Make an impact: Leave people better than you found them.
Live the sweetlife: Celebrate your passion and your purpose.
What does it mean to live your values?
If you ask employees about it, corporate core values are one of those things that either evoke an instant eye-roll reaction, or a puffed chest of pride. Very little in between. (And I'd argue that you can have super engaged employees who are eye-rollers. Your reaction to corporate values has little to do with your commitment to the job.)
Values are one of the many important ways you can try to put some words to the question of, "What is your culture?"
The set of values and descriptions reflects your organizational culture, and where you put them, and how you use and reference them, also says a lot about the place and the people...which can help you attract the right people, as employees and clients.
As a communications consultant, I have had a peek into many different organizations, and I have to admit that it takes a lot to win me over when it comes to wearing your corporate core values on your sleeve. Yet some organizations do it particularly well. What does that look like?
How do you effectively share your core values?
Values are one of the many important ways you can try to put some words to the question of, "What is your culture?"
The set of values and descriptions reflects your organizational culture, and where you put them, and how you use and reference them, also says a lot about the place and the people...which can help you attract the right people, as employees and clients.
As a communications consultant, I have had a peek into many different organizations, and I have to admit that it takes a lot to win me over when it comes to wearing your corporate core values on your sleeve. Yet some organizations do it particularly well. What does that look like?
How do you effectively share your core values?
For some organizations, sharing their values involves posting posters, etc. in prominent areas such as break rooms or by the elevators. For others, it's regularly about referencing the values in leadership talking points, sharing stories that illustrate the core values (e.g., newsletter articles or employee spotlight articles or podcasts), or even building awards programs to recognize values in action. Some organizations take it a step further and ask employees to report on how they are living the values, i.e., in performance appraisals, etc.
And what's the differentiator?
Many organizations keep the core values in-house and miss that important step of sharing them with the customer or client. That's the accountability piece that's often missing, and it's important PR as well.
For customer-service based organizations, it is very powerful to post the core values where the customer can see, react to, and respond to them (in line at the salad bar or on the "waiting on hold" script for the help desk). The online shoe company Zappos does a great job sharing their values. Have you noticed the note on their shoe boxes? It says "Zappos core value: Create fun and a little weirdness."
And what's the differentiator?
Many organizations keep the core values in-house and miss that important step of sharing them with the customer or client. That's the accountability piece that's often missing, and it's important PR as well.
For customer-service based organizations, it is very powerful to post the core values where the customer can see, react to, and respond to them (in line at the salad bar or on the "waiting on hold" script for the help desk). The online shoe company Zappos does a great job sharing their values. Have you noticed the note on their shoe boxes? It says "Zappos core value: Create fun and a little weirdness."
Where does it start?
It all starts with designing a set of values that makes sense, passes the Goldilocks rule (i.e., not too big or too small), and matches the tone of the organization. For example, Zappos is with the city of Austin and keepin in weird. Sweet Green is more tender and personal with references to things like the "sweet touch."
If you are looking to develop a set of core values or want to take a fresh look at your current values, consider some tips I have picked up over the years.
It all starts with designing a set of values that makes sense, passes the Goldilocks rule (i.e., not too big or too small), and matches the tone of the organization. For example, Zappos is with the city of Austin and keepin in weird. Sweet Green is more tender and personal with references to things like the "sweet touch."
If you are looking to develop a set of core values or want to take a fresh look at your current values, consider some tips I have picked up over the years.
Tips for designing core values that stick
V: Vivid descriptions that you can easily remember and rattle off
A: Avoid the super-comprehensive thought-of-everything mega-list
L: Levity is so important, and keep it positive
U: Understandable (plain English!) and relatable to most days on the job
E: Emotional and feeling-based
S: Simple is best
What have you seen in action? What examples do you have of organizations that do a great job "living" their values?
A: Avoid the super-comprehensive thought-of-everything mega-list
L: Levity is so important, and keep it positive
U: Understandable (plain English!) and relatable to most days on the job
E: Emotional and feeling-based
S: Simple is best
What have you seen in action? What examples do you have of organizations that do a great job "living" their values?
