| I was trying to figure out a way to work the Pittsburgh | | | | were found and sent back, thus avoiding a costly |
| Steelers into a Weekly Insight, particularly after our | | | | recall.Mr. Coleman slammed the table and demanded, |
| hometown team earned the right to be called "World | | | | "What's the matter with you people! Don't you know |
| Champions." I realize that not everyone who reads | | | | that Coleman lanterns have to work?!" |
| these Weekly Insights hails from Western | | | | To the company founder, the values were clear. |
| Pennsylvania (and some of you might not care for the | | | | There was no room for negotiation or discussion |
| Steelers at all), but hang in there with me on this one. | | | | about a defective product. Is there such clarity in your |
| "Steelers mean business" was the title of an | | | | organization?Values do matter. Values drive decision |
| Associated Press article on February 4, 2006. Dr. | | | | making. Values drive behavior. Values drive thinking. |
| Joanne G. Dujansky, the founder of KEYGroup, a | | | | Yet how much time do we spend thinking about our |
| Pittsburgh business that counsels companies on | | | | Personal Values, our Business Values? How often do |
| creating a successful corporate culture was quoted in | | | | we assess whether the Business Values we espouse, |
| the article as follows: "The Steelers' winning tradition | | | | the ones printed on the wall, etc. are actually being |
| didn't start yesterday. It started when Art Rooney | | | | lived out day to day in the marketplace-during the |
| purchased the franchise 73 years ago and set in | | | | good and bad times?Living out your values makes |
| motion a strategy for success that embraced his | | | | them meaningful. Consider these words regarding |
| vision and values."Note that Mr. Rooney's strategy | | | | values:"As officers and employees of _______...we |
| included "values" as well as "vision." This past week a | | | | are responsible for conducting the business of the |
| student in my marketing strategy class did some | | | | Company in accordance with all applicable laws and in |
| research on jetBlue Airways. When she could not find | | | | a moral and honest manner. _____ stands on the |
| their mission statement on the company website, she | | | | foundation of its Vision and Values. Everything we do |
| emailed the company and asked if they would provide | | | | evolves from our vision and Values statements." The |
| her with jetBlue's mission statement. The company | | | | above is a short extract from Enron's award-winning |
| responded that they did not have a mission statement. | | | | Code of Ethics. As events have shown, Enron's |
| Instead, they found success in the marketplace by | | | | Values were not meaningful at all; in fact, they were |
| living out their core values: safety, caring, integrity, fun | | | | meaningless. And their lack of meaning stemmed from |
| and passion.The key words here are "living out." | | | | the actions and attitudes of their executives.And so |
| Values do matter.With that in mind, let's examine some | | | | the challenge becomes one of understanding and |
| of the principles outlined in the book Lasting Change: | | | | committing to my own Personal Values and to the |
| The Shared Values Process (TM) that Makes | | | | Business Values of my organization. Here's an |
| Companies Great (by Rob Lebow and William L. | | | | assignment for each of us to do this week in |
| Simon). The authors take the concept of values and | | | | response to this challenge.1. Write down your Personal |
| define two components:- People Values - basic human | | | | Values. What do you stand for? Do these values |
| issues that affect daily work performance such as | | | | really guide your behavior?2. Write down your |
| honesty, truthfulness, trust, risk-taking, and receptivity to | | | | organization's Business Values. What does your |
| new ideas- Business values - define how the | | | | company stand for? Can you think of decisions made |
| organization and its people function; these are the | | | | during the past month or so that were made because |
| principles upon which everyone in the organization | | | | of your Business Values? Do you see your company's |
| operates; business values clarify who we are, what | | | | Business Values reflected in your personal actions |
| we stand for, and why we do business the way we | | | | within your organization? How about in the lives of |
| doFor an organization to function effectively, these | | | | company employees?Values do matter-but only if |
| two are always in balance.It's interesting that the | | | | they are lived out. Values are more "caught" than |
| authors contend that although every company has a | | | | "taught." Thus, our children, our employees, our |
| set of Business Values, most people, even managers, | | | | community know our values, not by reading our Core |
| aren't aware of them. Or even better, just ask several | | | | Values document, but by watching us every day. How |
| people what the Business Values are for your | | | | are we doing?What do you think? Does this make |
| organization and get ready for a lot of different | | | | sense to you? If you'd like to share your thoughts with |
| answers. | | | | me, please do so at or visit Starcher is President of |
| In my tenure as President of Zion Industries, I learned | | | | DayStar Consulting, Inc., a firm serving small business |
| that Business Values can't be taught. They must be | | | | owners by providing insights and ideas regarding |
| "absorbed" by individuals in the organization as they | | | | marketing strategy and strategic planning. Dr. Starcher |
| see executives and managers making decisions based | | | | has 30+ years of experience in both Fortune 500 and |
| on Business Values-and explaining to the employees | | | | small, family-owned companies. His primary objective in |
| the "why" behind tough decisions ("We did this | | | | counseling small-business owners is to help them |
| because our Values state...").There is a great story in | | | | create a blend of resources and capabilities that lead |
| this book about old man Coleman, the founder of the | | | | to competitive advantage in the marketplace and bring |
| company. Although retired, he dropped in one day on a | | | | glory to God while doing so.Keith also is an associate |
| production meeting. He listened as the executives in | | | | professor in the business department at Geneva |
| the room discussed a defective gas jet in one of the | | | | College, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania where he studies |
| products that leaked under pressure. They had to | | | | and lectures in marketing strategy and strategic |
| make a decision: should the company, famed for its | | | | planning at the undergraduate and graduate levelsDr. |
| impeccable quality, publicly admit the defect and launch | | | | Starcher spent several years with General Electric |
| a product recall?Since only a few of the several | | | | and, prior to joining the full-time teaching staff at |
| hundred thousand units already on store shelves were | | | | Geneva College, he was President of Zion Industries, |
| thought to have the leaking problem, the marketing | | | | an induction heat-treating firm with plants in Ohio, North |
| person suggested that they just wait until the bad ones | | | | Carolina and Michigan. |