I always think that values and operating principles should be the same thing. They should be known by everyone in the business and just “how we do things around here”. Many people mistakenly equate values with personality traits, but they are quite different. 

Values can often become forgotten abstract words, such as "integrity" and "generosity," that lose their meaning once the PowerPoint presentation ends. However, without a set of memorable and meaningful values to guide what we do, things can go rapidly off-track.  

The Link Between Brand Purpose and Values 

Values underpin brand purpose. To make brand purpose genuine, it must align with the organisation's deeper values and what matters to its customers. Take Adidas, for example. Their brand values revolve around winning, improving competitiveness, and attaining peak performance. These values resonate with their customers, who view their relationship with the company as a team effort and its employees as athletes. This grounding in shared values allows Adidas to understand and connect with the athletes they serve.

Defining Brand Values 

Values set the tone for a business. They are the guiding principles we live by every day and are worth fighting to protect. While there are countless values people adhere to, it's a good starting point to explore a list of values and identify those that are crucial to driving your company forward.

For instance, you may find that words like playfulness, equality, or generosity stand out to you. These values need to be authentic and reflect how you genuinely live. If playfulness is important to you, consider how you encourage it within your organisation. Do you organise playful activities, foster office banter, or even provide recreational amenities like a table tennis table? 

This evaluation process helps refine your values. If generosity is a core value, it goes beyond token charity donations. Can you truly claim to demonstrate generosity every day in various ways, like giving staff a day off to help out at a local non-profit?

Refining Your Values 

Having too many values can make it challenging for people to consistently uphold them. Refine your long list to 3-5 core values that truly represent your daily behaviour. These values should differentiate your brand and be unique to your organisation, avoiding generic platitudes or buzzwords.

Transform these core values into actionable phrases to live by. 

For example:

'Integrity' could become 'make doing the right thing easy'

'Fairness' could translate to 'creating win-win outcomes'

'Fun' could mean 'everybody leaves with a smile'

'Welcoming' could be expressed as 'greeting everyone as a friend'.

The Importance of Values 

Being clear about our values helps define the world we want to create and be a part of. Values should unite the team and be embraced by everyone, not just the management. When staff, suppliers, and customers can see that our actions are guided by values, it becomes easier to fulfil our brand purpose and generate excitement for the future.

Engaging in this process is immensely helpful in establishing direction and purpose. It can be challenging to avoid values that reflect what we aspire to be but are not currently. Stick to what feels intuitive and true, and find ways to share and expand upon these values.

If you would like to learn more about our processes or how we can assist you in defining your brand values, please contact us for a friendly chat. We are here to help you unleash the power of your values.

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