The MOST Important Value?

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Mark Myette, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. – Roy Disney

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. – Dalai Lama

Two thought-provoking quotes about values…

Is there a value MOST important to you?

Oh boy, this is a loaded question if there ever was one…recently, I posted this in my social media outlets…Humility – a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness. (With the image above.)

I got an interesting response from someone: “That’s why she is known as Saint….but the fact is her humility list does not apply to current corporate culture. They are good but of no use.”

That got me thinking…is there ONE value that is the MOST important? Are there some values NOT applicable to corporate? Before we delve further, let’s define core values…

What Are Core Values?

Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person or organization. They are the guiding principles that dictate behavior and action. They can help people know what is right from wrong; they can help companies to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their business goals; and they create an unwavering and unchanging guide. There are many different types of core values and many different examples of core values depending upon the context.

Core Values About Life…

Often, when you hear someone discuss why they fell in love with a spouse, a cause, a company they usually mention they have the same values. They are often talking about core values, or internal beliefs that dictate how life is to be lived. Core values about life focuses around BELIEF. As parents, we also try to instill these core values in our children.

Of course, core values don’t always have to be positive. Some people may be driven by self-interest or greed, and these are core values as well.

Corporate Core Values

Companies can have core values as well. These are the guiding principles that help to define how the corporation would behave. They are usually expressed in the corporation’s mission statement.

Some examples of core values for a company might include commitments to:Sustainability and acting in an environmentally friendly way. E.G.s Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s.
Innovation and excellence. E.G. Apple Computer – embodied by their “Think Different” motto.
Doing good for the whole. E.G. Google – making a great search engine and a great company without being evil.
As you will see, many of the core values companies have are similar to those individuals might choose as guiding principles as well.

Companies may also have negative core values as well. Companies that are solely motivated by profit, such as tobacco companies who lied to their customers about the dangers of smoking, may have been driven by core values of self-interest and an overly strong profit motive.

Identifying Core Values…Watch…

While some people or companies might expressly publish their core values, often the best way to identify these values is to watch how they act and behave. A core value is only a true core value if it has an active influence and if the people or company manage to live by it albeit, at least most of the time. Here’s a partial Core Values List:

Note: those in bold were found in multiple values lists…

Achievement
Adaptable
Adventurous
Ambitious
Appearance
Appreciation
Assertive
Athletic
Authenticity
Authority
Autonomy
Aware
Balance
Beauty
Belief in Others
Bliss
Boldness
Caring
Challenge
Charm
Citizenship
Clean
Commitment
Committed
Community
Compassion
Competency
Confident
Consistent
Contribution
Cooperation
Courageous
Courtesy
Creative
Curiosity
Dedication
Dependable
Determination
Devotion
Educated
Efficient
Empathetic
Ethics
Fairness
Faith
Fame
Fast
Fitness
Flexible
Focus
Forgiveness
Friendship
Fun
Fun-loving
Genuine
Gratitude
Growth
Happiness
Honesty
Hope
Hospitality
Humor
Independent
Influence
Inner Harmony
Innovative
Inspiring
Integrity
Intellect
Joy
Justice
Kindness
Knowledge
Leadership
Learning
Love
Loving
Loyal
Loyalty
Manage
Meaningful Work
Motivated
Nurturing
Open-minded
Optimistic
Passionate
Patience
Peace
Pleasure
Poise
Polite
Popularity
Positive
Recognition
Reliable
Religion
Reputation
Respect
Responsibility
Right Choices
Sacrifice
Security
Self-Respect
Service
Smiling
Sober
Spirituality
Stability
Status
Success
Team – work
Tolerance
Transparent
Trustworthiness
Unity
Vision
Wealth
Wisdom
From a corporate perspective here are some high-flying performance-based companies and their values:

Accenture

Stewardship
The Best People
Client Value Creation
One Global Network
Respect for the Individual
Integrity
American Express

Customer Commitment
Quality
Integrity
Teamwork
Respect for People
Good Citizenship
A Will to Win
Personal Accountability
AWeber

Respect
Cooperation
Listen
Invite Feedback
Learn
Educate
Innovate
Don’t Take Ourselves Too Seriously
Have Fun
Create
Barnes & Noble Booksellers

Customer Service
Quality
Empathy
Respect
Integrity
Responsibility
Teamwork
Boston Consulting Group

Integrity
Respect for the Individual
Diversity
Clients Come First
The Strategic Perspective
Value Delivered
Partnership
Expanding the Art of the Possible
Social Impact
CarMax

Customer focus
Respect
Teamwork
Communication
Diversity
Associate development
Fun
Quality
Pride
Continuous improvement
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Supporting Sustainability
Building Communities
Advancing Cancer Research
Google

Focus on the user and all else will follow.
It’s best to do one thing really, really well.
Fast is better than slow.
Democracy on the web works.
You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.
You can make money without doing evil.
There’s always more information out there.
The need for information crosses all borders.
You can be serious without a suit.
Great just isn’t good enough.
Rackspace

Fanatical Support
Results
Substance over flash
Greatness
Disclosure
Transparency
Passion
Treat like Friends and Family
Salesforce.com

People
Technology
Resources
Teach For America

Transformational Change
Leadership
Team
Diversity
Respect and Humility
Toms Shoes

Give
Partnership
Impact
Welcome Feedback
Improve
Whole Foods

Quality
Satisfying
Delighting
Supporting
Happiness
Creating wealth
Profits
Caring about our communities
Caring about our environment
Win-win partnerships
Healthy eating education
Zappos

Service
Change
Fun
Weirdness
Adventurous
Creative
Open-Minded
Growth
Learning
Open and Honest Relationships
Communication
Positive Team
Family Spirit
More With Less
Passionate
Determined
Humble
A note about HUMILITY…

Getting to one of my points about humility…notice how it did NOT appear until Zappos! So, perhaps the person in my social media post had a point…it’s a head-scratcher to me…

So, WHICH value is the most important?

Yes!

Like thumbprints, we are all DIFFERENT, our opportunity is to align ourselves with people, companies who share similar values…ideally, while being able to embrace the differences and accept the fact that we may differ from what others hold near / dear.

If you are working for a company, you will be best served if your values align…misaligned and it will be only a matter of time before you disengage OR they disengage you!

Are there some values NOT applicable to corporate?

My opinion…nope! All values are fair game in corporate.

My best to your quest!

Mark

​I believe each of us is a gift. I create trusted relationships where individuals, teams and leaders NAME, CLAIM and AIM their gifts to achieve optimum performance.