Connecting Through Core Values

July 25, 2023

Values Shmalues

Having clearly stated and defined company values is one way to intentionally create a culture that allows your employees to thrive. Unfortunately, many companies simply list nice-sounding traits without clearly defining them, don’t model them from the top down, and don’t reinforce them in meaningful ways.

According to Patrick M. Lencioni, “Most values statements are bland, toothless, or just plain dishonest. And far from being harmless, as some executives assume, they’re often highly destructive. Empty values statements create cynical and dispirited employees, alienate customers, and undermine managerial credibility.”

We’ve all witnessed or experienced this firsthand working with or for companies who have values not reflected by the actual culture.

So why should companies bother having values in the first place and how do they make them constructive instead of destructive

The Power of Core Values

Values are essentially a core set of beliefs, principles, and practices that guide your organization. They help guide how your team fulfills its mission and vision and can act as accountability guardrails for how people show up at work.

There is a lot of information available on values and we are not trying to reinvent the wheel. For example, in their book Built to Last, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras discuss core values as being “inherent and sacrosanct; they can never be compromised, either for convenience or short-term economic gain.”

In other words, values are a true north for how a company operates at all levels.

The keys to creating meaningful values are defining them clearly, modeling them from the top down, creating norms and rituals from them, and consistently reinforcing them.

Grin Events Core Values

At Grin Events, we have a set of core values we use as guiding principles for our team. They are listed on our website, clearly defined, and inform how we carry on in the day-to-day.

Here are a few ways we are leaning into the Grin Events way of doing business:

Connection

Luckily, this value is easy to embody because it’s at the heart of everything we do. That said, our weekly team meetings start with a recap of our weekends and any life updates to make sure we are staying connected to each other. We also believe in the power of teamwork and respect each other’s roles and the expertise we bring to the table.

Fun

Also inherent to what we do in hosting games, we constantly check in with each other to make sure we are having fun while running the business and creating fun for our clients. We know fun can’t be faked and is also contagious, so the more fun our staff has at an event, the more fun we can guarantee for our clients. Of course, there are things about running our business that aren’t our favorite, but as long as we enjoy the work overall, we feel like we are fulfilling this value.

Excellence

From the first interaction we have with a client to each and every event to our follow-up after, we want teams to have unforgettable experiences with us. We infuse excellence into every detail of our events, from having equipment that is clean and in good shape to checking the technical aspects of our virtual events over and over again. We believe exceptional service provided by dedicated people who care creates unexpected results, or what we call a “wow factor.” Luckily, our clients have told us this value is one we can be proud of.

Balance

Balance is often overused and under-emphasized in team settings, but we believe in family first and prioritize how our team operates by being flexible with hours and schedules. We maintain professionalism at all times but encourage our team to get out and have fun themselves so they can be the best versions of themselves for our clients.

Integrity

We believe this is the single most important trait we can live into because we authentically believe in doing the right thing for its own sake. This includes operating with honesty, loyalty, accountability, and fairness. We know clients are investing time and money with us and we take that very seriously. We want to reward the trust given to us by delivering on what we promise. If something isn’t working, we work hard to fix it. This applies to our clients and within our own team. We’ve had to make hard decisions to stay true to this value, but it has contributed to our culture and success.

Connection Can Be Part of Every Company

We love working with clients who share similar values. Even if the stated core values are different, chances are they probably dock into something related to teamwork, camaraderie, or collaboration, for example.

And regardless of an organization’s values, playing games and having fun together is a proven way to reinforce those values. Hosting events creates a cultural norm of team building that builds a more cohesive, connected employee base – it’s why we specialize in Team Connecting and not just team building. It’s good for leaders, employees, and even your bottom line.

So whether you have values around diversity, innovation, or transparency, getting your employees out of their day-to-day routine to simply have fun playing games together is a great way to bond your team.

We’re the Experts in Fun

We know planning something fun to reinforce your core values can feel intimidating which is why we’re here to help. From virtual game shows to in-person leisure games, we can recommend an event type that’s just right for your organization.

Email: smile@grin.events
Website form
Phone call: 619-972-4746 (we’re old school and actually prefer this method!)