Reassessing Corporate Values

from the don't-screw-the-customer dept

An interesting column from Thomas Stewart looking at how awful and useless most "company values" statements are. They're usually vague and forgetful. He ends up suggesting more "real" values that might actually be remembered by employees such as "Don't screw the customer" and "Make promises you can keep." I agree that most value statements are pretty useless, but I'm not sure the new "clearer" ones are any better either. What it comes down to is how the company acts. They can say whatever they want, but if you see your boss making up stuff to get a deal, then you're likely to do the same thing as well. Corporate values don't come from a poster on a wall, but from how a company actually acts in the marketplace.
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  • identicon
    2Lazy2Register, 13 Mar 2002 @ 5:17am

    Yeah, but...

    You get a nice new coffee mug every time they change the corp. mission statement - what's so wrong with that??

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    agent orange, 13 Mar 2002 @ 7:20am

    Corporate Values

    One things is for sure - corporations need to address the honesty and integrity issues. I have met some "big company mentality" folks that think lying is OK. I disagree. I think honesty is what wins the day, even if that honesty is painful. I would rather tell the truth than not.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Nathaniel, 22 May 2002 @ 2:41am

      Re: Corporate Values - Unshrink!

      Max Mckeown has written a very thoughtful book on the subject of values/principles in business. It lists new principles that would make a different if used as a measure in every corporation. They include:

      - No More Secrets (The Team Needs to Know)
      - The Business is a Community
      - There is only us

      Check it out and let me know what you think.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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