Core Values Primer
A 45-second tutorial on how Core Values become the defining element of a company’s reputation and image to the market.
Video Length: < 1 minute
Starting Point: Understanding the essential nature of core values
In July 2002, Patrick Lencioni published an article in Harvard Business Review that built on the research and findings in Jim Collin’s business best seller, Built to Last. The article was titled “Make Your Values Mean Something” and it represents one of the most effective explanations about why values matter.
You can find this article at Harvard Business Review’s Web site (https://hbr.org/2002/07/make-your-values-mean-something) or by clicking here.
Ted Talk: How Core Values Drive Culture
JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and Doubletree Hotels have built distinctive brands by driving a core set of values across their organizations. Ann Rhoades was a key architect in each of these efforts. If it. an be done for companies with 30,000+ employees, it can certainly be done in companies with less than 500 employees!
Video Length: 10 minutes
Real World: How Core Values Drove Zappos
Zappos is a remarkable business.
Founded in 1999 in Henderson NV, they were generating just under $9M in 2001. Seven years later, they were generating over $1B. In 2009, while the financial meltdown was occurring and online retailers were being sold for pennies, Zappos was sold at a premium. Amazon purchased Zappos for $940M and allowed the company to remain operating as an independent brand.
CEO Tony Hsieh has spoken a lot about how values were the backbone to the culture, which in turn reinforced the brand and was an essential cog for their growth and success.
This video speaks about Zappos’ evolution of values and how they drove within the organization.
Note: Zappos has 10 core values. EOS suggests that it should be 3-7. Less is more.
Video Length: 8 minutes
Most employees do not relate to their values
From Gallup’s 2018 article “It’s Time for a Core Values Audit”:
“Why do values matter?
A values-driven culture can fuel organizational growth and attract top talent. Talented people want to work for an organization with a thriving culture.
In turn, employees who belong to fulfilling workplaces are more likely to serve as brand ambassadors who recruit talent and deliver compelling customer experiences.”
Gallup Study, 2016:
The % of U.S. employees that strongly agree they can apply their company’s values to their work every day
27 %
It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.
— Roy Disney
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Gino Wickman: Perpetuating Core Values
EOS has a phenomenal method to help a company extract its core values. The next step is perpetuating those core values across the organization.
EOS founder and Traction author Gino Wickman walks through how to drive core values through the organization.
Video Length: 4 minutes
The Need for and Demonstration of the EOS Core Values Speech
Once the Core Values are created, you to be able to communicate your Core Values in a way that people value, remember and will apply. Here are the EOS Core Values presented by the company’s former Visionary.
Video Length: 4 minutes
Example Core Value Speech: Design Pickle
Design Pickle, a marketing agency, nails their Core Values in a short, clear and humorous video.
Video Length: 3 minutes
Example Core Value Speech: Juice Plus+
The passion of Juice Plus+ company values employees stands out in this Core Values speech.
Video Length: 5 minutes
Example Core Value Speech: Atlassian
Atlassian, a software company, dives deep on their Core Values in a well-defined 4-minute video they share with hiring prospects and employees.
Video Length: 4 minutes
Example Core Value Speech: Ryan Gootee General Contractors
Ryan Gootee General Contractors, a construction contractor, review their Core Values. The video starts with employees saying “I love working here.”
Video Length: 3 minutes
Example Core Value Speech: Mulesoft
Mulesoft Videos presents their core values in a relaxed and relatable video.
Video Length: 3 minutes
The cultural thread that runs through all these things [different businesses] is the same. We only have a few principles at Amazon, kind of core values, that we go back to over and over again. And if you look at each of the things that we do, you would see those run straight through everything.
– Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, speaking at George W Bush Presidential Center for Leadership (about 8:30 minutes in)