Three Core Values Great Employees and Employers Must Have

to Get through These Tough Times…..

These are tough times for employers and employees alike. But each of us, from whatever station in life, can "do something" to help get through them.

We know that "this too will pass," but prefer it be quicker.

We'd like to jump into the future and avoid the pain—but we can't. How to get through these tough times? Where to start? How about here ...

I am only one;
but still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
but still I can do something;
I will not refuse to do something I can do.

- Edward Everett Hale

Learn from Experience

My experience since founding Cincom in 1968 has consistently taught and surfaced three traits over and over, year after year. These are:

• Character,
• Competence, and
• Commitment.

It requires character to act on our beliefs, competence to achieve goals, and commitment to see them through—in business or life.

Core Values

These core values drive productivity resulting in profitability and sustainability for the benefit of our company and our customers.

How best to describe them?

Character

• Ethical integrity and a fundamental spirituality.
• An emphasis on seeking solutions, not casting blame.
• An open environment where honest communications are encouraged and honest differences of opinion are allowed.
• A commitment to managing on the basis of sound principles.
• ... Doing the "right thing" in a professional manner is a demand we make of ourselves.

Competence

An entrepreneurial spirit that relentlessly seeks to innovate within bureaucratic structures.

• Creativity.
• Decisiveness.
• Initiative for self-growth.
• Leadership that encourages small work groups.
• A continuous seeking of the optimal balance between flexibility and control.
• ... A truly disciplined organization that continues to learn and consistently applies the best methods to achieve goals.

Commitment

• Commitment to one's group, the company and to one's fellow citizens.
• Missionary zeal in representing the company and its products.
• Responsibility and personal empowerment.
• Encouraging people to grow and empowering them to do so.
• ... Our promise to do what has been asked and our pledge to provide whatever assistance that is required to meet our shared commitment.

Yes these are tough times.

What Is Past Is Prologue

But if you stand on the shoulders of core values and act with character, competence and commitment, we'll get through them and move onto a bright future.

Courtesy – Tom Nies, Cincom