In your last post Chuck, you really hit on one of my pet peeves, defining a company’s values. Not that having values is a bad thing, we ALL have them and we ALL take them into everything that we do. My pet peeve stems from the fact that they are usually listed with indifference, because a “how to do a business plan” book told you that you had to have at least 3. Then, along with the business plan they are shelved, eventually to be retired in the same box as that years tax receipts.

Another thing that irritates me is that these listed values are usually something lofty and noble, and has nothing to do with the people involved or how they actually conduct themselves in their day to day operations. Like, everyone usually says “integrity”, “honesty” and such. Once again, don’t get me wrong, those are very good values to have – but, are they really what is going to happen just because you said them one time only when you wrote the list? And how does that really relate to the homeowner that is considering hiring you?

Not too long ago, I heard this description of “values” from Gary Coxe. Values are nothing more than a list of your priorities, listed in the order of importance to you. I like that – no nonsense, very, crystal clear and to the point. If a values list is assembled with that thought in mind, then, that homeowner, employee, vendor and the world can tell what is the most important to you and the company and then can make meaningful decisions. For example, do their values align with yours. If so, proceed. If no, keep looking.

I am liking your list of values, I personally adopt them. Charlie and Kate have not objected, so I think your command decision has been a good one. To re-cap:

1) Quality of craftsmanship and delivery

2) Great Customer Service

3) High Employee Satisfaction

I believe that this list is a work in progress and because of that we need to take it out and look at it weekly. How we doing? What do we need to improve upon? Do we need to adjust our priorities? No shoving these into a dusty box.

It’s a brand new day, listen well and make it a great one!

About our blog posts: We decided to share what it is like to be on the inside of our family owned business. This will be a review of our past, striving to improve our present and looking with great hope to the future, as we pass the keys over to our adult children Katie and Charlie.