The importance of defining your business values
Throughout our every-day-lives, our values underpin everything that we do. They define our actions, our words, and our decision-making. And that goes for business too!
If you’re reading this, you may well be a female founder (although not to alienate the male readers, this applies to you too!). Whether you’ve been in business for 30 years, or 30 days, you’re succeeding in building your brand from the bottom up, which is something to be incredibly proud of- congratulations!
As women, we can have a unique struggle when it comes to defining our vision and values, especially in business. We've come a long way in the last few years, but the reality is, it is still an active tussle against the traditional gender roles and expectations in society. This means sometimes our ability to step into our worth and step out of imposter syndrome or narratives around the validity of our voices, can be a challenge. But hear me when I say: your voice matters, you are worthy of succeeding, and you are the author of your story - now is your time to start sharing it and sharing it well!
So why is defining, re-defining and re-calibrating your values, an important thing to do on a regular basis?
If you don’t know (and can’t write down on paper in under 150 words) WHO you are as a business, and WHAT you stand for, you can’t effectively communicate it to anyone else.
Values fuel your decision-making, they’re an excellent tool in helping to work out whether a project, a client or any other form of decision, is the right fit for you.
Your values are what attract your ideal clients (and other team members if you’re scaling up). The values you hold and what you stand for, help you to stand out from the competition.
Defining your values
If you’ve never intentionally sat down to define your business values, this is your cue. Block out some time and do it now. I know it can be daunting not knowing where to start, so let me give you some tips on how to shape it:
1. Identify what’s important to you
Have a think about why you formed your business in the first place - what did you want to achieve and why? The things that are most important to you help to frame your values. What are you passionate about, why do you do what you do? For me, what is most important in my business, the things that inspired me to launch in the first place, are: building authentic connections through empathy; teaching and equipping organisations to communicate well and facilitating excellence in comms with the sole purpose of making a difference. What are the most important elements of your business, to YOU?
2. Write a bullet-point list of what your core values are as a person (aim for 5-7)
YOU shape your business. YOU as a person. Although your business values, your vision and your “professional hat” may be slightly different to how you’d interact/portray yourself to a friend or a family member, your fundamental core values have a huge impact. You are the one who is defining your business now and going forward, so you need to know what your core values are, as a person. It can be tough to verbalise the things that make us tick; our non-negotiables or what our expectations are. Knowing your core values can help you to be clear and to set boundaries.
So, for me, my core personal values are empathy, integrity, excellence, authenticity, loyalty, justice and community.
What makes YOU tick, what motivates you, and what are your sticking points that would clash with your personal core values? (Sometimes knowing the things that you can’t handle, helps to focus your priorities of values that NEED to be met.)
3. Get feedback from the people who know you best
If self-evaluation and self-reflection aren’t your strong point (or even if they are!) it’s always worth asking the people close to you. Do you have a business buddy who you bat ideas around with? Do you have colleagues who know you well? Your closest friends and/or family will have a different insight too. Ask them “What would you say my core values are as a person? And what do you think the values of my business are?” Perspective is a beautiful thing. Sometimes stepping outside of our own heads is so refreshing. Even if you’re a lone worker, you aren’t alone. Utilise the people you have around you, even if they have nothing to do with your actual business!
4. Implement your values into your comms strategy
You now should, at the very least, have some notes that reflect who you are, and where your values lie. And so it’s time to get shaping them into a communicable structure (a “values bio” if you like). Try to write in under 150(ish) words, what your business values are. Here’s mine, as an example:
“I am a freelance creative and comms consultant specialising in church and charity comms (although not limited to). I am passionate about helping and equipping people to communicate the voice of their organisation in a creative and sustainable way, tailored to their specific resources and abilities. At the very centre of my business is empathy which is at the heart of WHO I am as a person too, and I think it is key to communicating well. Authentic storytelling is powerful and I love to reflect identity into every area of my freelance projects, from branding; to videography and everything in between. I strive for excellence because excellent communication makes people feel valued and they deserve the very best that we can give them. Excellence is at the heart of WHAT I create, community is at the heart of WHY I create.”
Once you've formed a values bio, you can then weave it into a range of communications:
Create a set of “comms guidelines” that express your vision and values for your business, including your brand pack.
Tailor your values bio for your website, social media, mailing list etc. Choose the parts to highlight depending on the audience you’re reaching. Remember, you don’t need to share 100% of your story 100% of the time. Choose the moments when it’s necessary. Sometimes you’ll need to expand on those 150 words, sometimes you’ll need fewer, be discerning.
Be consistent with the wording at every turn, so much so that it becomes second nature for you to quote it in conversation.
Re-defining and re-calibrating your values
Just like our values and motivations in life change as we grow and mature and leap from season to season, so do our values in business. And so if you have been achieving in business for many years, it may be time to intentionally look at the values you set in the past, and check if they still define you now. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge that things have changed. Spend some time re-defining and re-calibrating your values, to fit where your business is NOW and where you want it to go.
Take-away
Defining your business values is a crucial step towards taking your business to the next level. By being intentional in defining, re-defining and re-calibrating your values you will be building a solid foundation for your company’s culture.
With a clear set of values, you'll be well-positioned to grow your business, empower your team and/or clients, and achieve even greater success!
Don’t want to go it alone? If you need help getting your vision and values onto paper and forming them into a “values bio” fit-for-purpose, I’d love to help you! Get in touch and we can do it together!
