Success Starts With Values
All success begins with establishing values. One of the most noticeable characteristics among great leaders is that they know who they are, what they believe, and for what they stand.
A few years ago I had an opportunity to accept a major deal that would greatly increase our company’s profits and generate a lot of money over the course of just a few years. I turned it down. Many didn’t understand why I would do such a thing and miss out on a great opportunity to make so much money. But I made a commitment many years ago that I would never negotiate my integrity for anything or anyone. That is one of the very first values I established within my company--to always prize integrity above profit, relationships, or short-term success. I am not interested in any short-term benefits that would cause me to compromise my values.
Your values are what make you the person you are. The same is true with the organization you lead. The values of that organization make it what it is. You may not realize it now, but the future of your company is linked to the values you establish within and throughout it. The reason for this is simple; values guide each and every decision, which then shapes our destiny. Without clear and established values by which your company filters every decision, the lifespan of your company greatly diminishes.
So what values govern your company’s decisions, policies, and protocol? Do you believe in the values of integrity, hard work, honesty, dependability, creativity, initiative, and teamwork? Do your employees know the top three values of the organization?
After years of experience and working with thousands of leaders, I can tell you that one value overshadows all others. The neglect of this one value is the reason nearly 90% of all companies fail.
INTEGRITY, the foundation of all success.
It has been argued that being a person or company that prizes integrity puts you at a disadvantage in today’s corporate world. Those who take this position are blind to both the pragmatic and long-term ramifications of their ideology.
Any unethical action can appear to be advantageous for the time being, but wisdom and history prove those who value integrity always come out on top in the end. Just ask Enron.
Don’t miss next month's issue where you’ll learn how to clearly define and establish your organization’s core values.
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