Recognizing that we needed to take a critical look at our current values, we formed a team of leaders who could provide data, insights and challenge the status quo.
In addition to the values themselves, only two other deliverables were expected. A conversation guide to help managers begin using the values straightaway, and a core value roll-out deck that illustrates how a value system drives choices and behaviors, or in other words, our corporate culture.
The project took a few months, and the development centered on a matrix that connected team member input with core value themes. We then discussed what each theme meant to our organization and derived a common term, descriptive words, and a phrase.
For example, our desired theme of integrity became ownership, which encompasses integrity, accountability, trust, and respect. Our phrase is own it.
We agreed that the phrase would be the final core value we would use in practice, because the values needed to move beyond words on a page. They needed to deliver a message powerful enough to stay in the front and center of everyone’s minds.
Lastly, we layered in a point-of-view for each core value, as a way to illustrate how core values start with us, and have an ever expanding impact on our teams, our growth and development, and our partners and communities.
We used this test of worthiness for our final core values and their corresponding visual representation:
- Inspire us to act
- Feel relevant to our business
- Make decisions easier for everyone
- Easy to use everywhere
- Memorable
- A differentiator
- Charged with meaning
- Bring the concept to life
The core values roll-out was led by our President & CEO, Carlene Wilson. She delivered a presentation that included how our corporate culture had grown, and how our purpose could be fulfilled through our ability to live by our core values.
At Atmosphere, own it means ‘I got this’. It’s individual accountability and accountability to the team. It’s stepping up. I will do what I say I’ll do.
Tune in means active listening. Being present in the moment. Listen to and respect other’s voices and opinions. If you’re tuned in to something, you have your radar up and are in full curiosity-mode.
Aim higher means displaying commitment to pursue, grow and excel in all we do. There is no one goal, only a series of steps in your journey of growth.
And better together. To us that means promoting civil discourse, partnerships, team wins, and inclusiveness.
Our purpose is to enlighten organizations to the connection between people, purpose and place, because we believe place helps people work better together, and that enables them to fulfill their purpose. So, our last value, working and leading better together, is especially meaningful for us, and is also aspirational. We strive to provide exceptional places to work, beyond the physical space. And we believe that our work communities can and should empower both the individual and the team.
Learn more about the history of creating our values through our Core Values Development: Part I post.