Do the right thing is one of the life lessons that I easily attribute to my parents and it has several components… Honesty is chief among them.
About a week ago I was engaged in one of those typical strategic meetings in which we discussed our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (a SWOT analysis).
It’s a cathartic exercise that I enjoy. In the same way that holidays and special events can be an opportunity to renew your appreciation for your family, reviewing and reinforcing core values can invigorate.
During this meeting we discussed the common practice of directing and (in some ways) controlling the ways in which a company should communicate with its customers and prospects. Some organizations, for example, maintain a binder of “talking points” that define the overarching message that the company wants to get across.
As I considered this idea I marveled at how difficult it must be to get the whole organization to speak with that single voice. We are individuals, after all, with different ideas and notions and styles.
Here’s the thing, though… you don’t have to write down in a policy manual those things that are simple and true.
Among our strengths (by my assessment) I’m proud to include “honest in our business dealings,” “a commitment to quality,” “constantly improving processes,” and “an engaged and extremely knowledgeable user community.” These things are simple and true.
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