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June 2003
The Importance of Determining Your Corporate Values

Hello to all you visionaries who have attended my keynote talk on The Power of a Vision ... a Leader's Journey. This Newsletter is being sent to all who expressed an interest in receiving my insights on what it takes to become a visionary in today's workplace. I intend to give you insights, strategies and skills that will help you become a visionary.

In this first Newsletter let's look at the importance of determining your corporate values. To be able to formulate and articulate a vision for your team to follow, you must get in touch with your corporate values. What beliefs and behaviors does your workplace value? Your corporate vision will be a direct reflection of those corporate values. A number of years ago, I worked with the leadership team of the Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo , CA . I was very impressed with their VALUES STATEMENT and share their Statement with you. The values expressed in this Statement hold true for any organization in any industry.

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center
VALUES  STATEMENT

 
Demonstrate Respect

We believe each person is a unique expression and therefore inherently valuable.

We focus on the care we provide to patients, treating them with dignity, respect and compassion.

We acknowledge the unique gifts and diversity of our physicians and employees and seek to integrate those talents in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

We are accountable to the organization, to our patients and to each other.

Foster Integrity

We believe truth and honesty guide our thoughts and our actions at all times.

We are individually responsible for what we do and say.

We build relationships based on trust.

We create an environment that promotes the open and honest exchange of ideas.

Embrace Change

We believe innovation and change must be welcomed and nurtured in order for our organization to increase its capacity to learn and progress.

We encourage the development of a questioning mindset ... new ways of thinking about everything we do.

We are committed to being flexible and continually responsive to changes in the environment.

We push on the existing boundaries and challenge ourselves to exceed our own expectations and those of others.

Enhance Value

We ensure quality and cost effectiveness, which are not incompatible, but rather interdependent concepts. We expect accountability for excellence in performance and for adherence to professional and organiational standards.

We create a work environment that helps people realize their full potential.

We constantly search for productivity and process improvement consistent with our commitment to quality.

We monitor and evaluate our delivery of care, our business operations and our organizational climate to ensure they meet the needs of those we serve.

Lead Through Partnership

We lead with our partners to build strategic alliances in order to effectively meet our communities' and nation's healthcare needs.

We recognize that individual, institutional and societal interests are often in tension; we are committed to being an advocate for what is right, recognizing that in every case we must discern how the good of the whole can best be served.

We seek to establish mutually beneficial and accountable partnerships based on shared values.

We are dedicated to working for a health system that is accessible and affordable to all.

What a terrific Values Statement! Yours may not be as in-depth, and it doesn't have to be. Sit down with the above Statement and reflect on each value in the Statement. Which ones resonate with you and the organization you work with? Get feedback from your staff and the other members of your leadership team. Write a VALUES STATEMENT that is reflective of YOUR organization and its most cherished values. This is the first, critical step in formulating a vision that your team will buy into and work towards. In the next newsletter we will look at the reasons WHY a vision is so important for leaders and employees alike.

If your organization has a set of values that you would like me to share with my readers, please let me know. We all learn from each other. If you have any insights or feedback you would like to share with me, I'd love to hear from you. All requests for confidentiality will be honored. If you wish to pass this Newsletter on to colleagues who may find it of value, feel free to do so. If they would like to receive the Newsletter, e-mail me with their addresses, and I will put them on my database. Have a wonderful month.

About the Author

Barbara Mintzer is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant with over 30 years in business and health care. She speaks from experience! Her how-to programs provide participants with immediately applicable skills and strategies for getting buy-in and commitment from staff and staying on top of their professions in today's competitive and constantly changing workplace. Barbara presents keynote talks and breakout sessions for international, national, regional and state Conferences. She also conducts management retreats and in-house seminars. She facilitates panel discussions and roundtables at the same meeting ... a good investment for your meeting budget. To explore the possibility of having Barbara speak at your next event, or work with your employee/leadership team, please contact her office.

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