What The Hell Are Core Values + Why Are They So Crucial?

  • Core values are what you will hire, fire, review and reward based on

  • Core values are what support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what your brand values

  • They are the essence of your identity – the principles, beliefs or philosophy of values

  • Core values help you in the decision-making processes

  • Core values educate clients and potential customers about what the company is about and clarify the identity of the company

How To Define Your Core Values

Step 1: Decide if you are committed to running a values-based business.

Step 2: Define your personal values

Activity:

Answer the following questions:

  1. What motivates me to get up in the morning?

  2. What keeps me up at night?

  3. What am I doing when I’m at my best?

  4. Why am I bothered by what bothers me?

  5. Why do I do the work that I do?

  6. Why do I buy what I buy?

  7. Why do I admire whom I admire?

  8. When am I happy?

Map out all your potential opportunities - big, small, dreams + realities

Return to question #7 and make a list of people you admire. Once you have your list, make a list of the characteristics, attributes, or traits that make your picks valuable. Add these into your word bank brain dump

Play Keep, Kill, and Combine with your word bank list. In your first round of edits, circle the ones that are truly important, draw a line through the ones that are not, and combine those that are similar. Keep going until you have a list of ten to 15 options left.

Discuss, debate, and decide which of the values that are left are truly core to what your brand is and what you do. Get it down to three to seven core values that are cohesive together and represent your business.

Resources mentioned:

Glitter Guide article - 7 Time Management Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Ben & Jerry’s values

Starbucks’ values

Google’s values

Books I love on core values:

Tayler Cusick Hollman