1. Understand and Provide the Why
Understand and Provide the Why
In the search for the best answers and solutions, challenge and question what you don't understand. Be curious. Understand the big picture — see the forest through the trees. Share the why with others.
2. Work Smart
Work Smart
Be organized and prepared, and plan your work for maximum efficiency. Be thoughtful about your schedule and have a game plan for your calls, your tasks, and your workday. Leverage those around you, and ask for help. Think ahead and anticipate the future.
3. Get the Facts
Get the Facts
We <3 facts! Gather all the facts before making judgments or drawing conclusions. Make good decisions by relying on facts and data rather than opinions. There's always more to the story than meets the eye. Be quick to ask and slow to judge.
4. Walk in Others' Shoes
Walk in Others' Shoes
Understand your customers', teammates', and vendor partners' world. Know their challenges and frustrations so you can better understand them and effectively anticipate and meet their needs. Avoid using unfamiliar lingo, acronyms, and industry jargon. Use audience-appropriate explanations.
5. Care About Relationships
Care About Relationships
Our business is built on trust and trust is built on relationships. Strong relationships enable us to more successfully work through difficult issues and challenging times. Make thoughtful decisions that cultivate long-term relationships.
6. Listen Actively
Listen Actively
Be mindful and create an environment free of distractions. Seek to understand by asking clarifying questions. Restate in your own words to confirm your understanding before challenging the idea.
7. Practice Radical Candor
Practice Radical Candor
While showing you care, be courageous enough to challenge directly and say what needs to be said. Be clear and leave little room for interpretation.
8. Be Fanatical About Response Times
Be Fanatical About Response Times
Respond to questions and concerns quickly. This means acknowledging that we got the question and we're "on it." Follow-up on everything and keep those involved updated on open issues. Take responsibility to see that tasks get completed and close the loop! Be persistent — it’s often the difference between success and failure.
9. Honor Commitments
Honor Commitments
Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. This includes being on time for phone calls, appointments, meetings, and promises. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, notify others early and agree on a new commitment to be honored. Don’t over promise!
10. Set Clear Expectations
Set Clear Expectations
Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing realistic expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you’re not clear on what they expect of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates.
11. Bring it Every Day
Bring it Every Day
Have a passion for what we do and be fully engaged. Make the most of each day by approaching every task with energy, focus, purpose, enthusiasm, and a smile. You can (and do) impact the lives and happiness of customers and each other every day.
12. Share Like a Mentor
Share Like a Mentor
With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information freely throughout our organization. Provide your own context, point of view, and take-aways. Take the initiative to coach, guide, teach, and mentor others. Ask yourself “Who else needs to know this?”
13. Attack Challenges
Attack Challenges
Run to problems! See them as opportunities to grow and build on. Be open to constructive conflict. When a client, teammate, or partner is upset or frustrated, it’s a great chance to seek to understand, make an impact, and shine.
14. Practice Blameless Problem Solving
Practice Blameless Problem Solving
Focus on solutions, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve ourselves and our processes so we don’t make the same mistake twice. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.
15. Be Self Aware
Be Self Aware
Recognize that cognitive biases influence how you think, how you feel, and how you behave. Get out of your own head and consider other perspectives to avoid the trap of favoring your own hypothesis.
16. Have Each Others' Back
Have Each Others' Back
Be there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that’s what’s required for success. Don’t let your own ego or personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. A great customer experience starts with a great employee experience.
17. Maintain a Work-Life Balance
Maintain a Work-Life Balance
Maintain a healthy balance and take care of yourself at home and at work. Make sure to refresh with breaks and re-focus. Eat well, exercise, and get sleep. Support each other in making healthy choices. The healthier you are, the more you’ll thrive personally and professionally.
18. Deliver Results
Deliver Results
While we appreciate effort, we reward and celebrate results. Follow-up on everything and take responsibility to ensure that tasks get completed. Set high goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results.
19. Celebrate Success
Celebrate Success
Praise in public, criticize in private. Shine a light on the extra effort and superstar performance. Regularly give meaningful acknowledgment and appreciation throughout our organization.
20. Be the Expert
Be the Expert
Inspire the art of what’s possible and be prescriptive. Our clients expect us to know more than they do. If you don’t know the answer, get the answer. Confidence comes from superior knowledge.“There is no quality as compelling, intoxicating, and attractive as certainty.”
21. Assume Positive Intent
Assume Positive Intent
Work from the assumption that people are good, fair, and honest, and that the intent behind their actions is positive. Set aside your own judgments and preconceived notions. Give people the benefit of the doubt.
22. Do the Right Thing, Always
Do the Right Thing, Always
Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and in every decision you make, especially when no one’s looking. Always tell the truth, no matter the consequences. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right.
23. Lead by Example
Lead by Example
The best way to influence others is through your own example. Walk the talk. Be the change you want to see.
24. Embrace Diversity
Embrace Diversity
Be open to learning from others no matter what role they have and regardless of their age, industry, experience, or tenure with our company. We make better decisions when we consider multiple perspectives.
25. Make Quality Personal
Make Quality Personal
Demonstrate a passion for excellence and take pride in the quality of everything you do. Pay attention to the details, double-check your work, and don’t accept mediocrity. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” Consider how your actions affect our collective reputation and be a proud ambassador for the company.
26. Embrace Change and Improvement
Embrace Change and Improvement
What got us here is not the same as what will get us to the next level. Find ways to get things done better, faster, and more efficiently. Get outside your comfort zone rather than stubbornly hanging on to old ways of doing things. Be excited by the possibilities that change and growth bring. Be flexible.
27. Find a Way
Find a Way
Take personal responsibility for making things happen. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Be resourceful, own it, and show initiative.
28. Know When to Say No
Know When to Say No
When a quality outcome is in jeopardy, don’t hesitate to say no. Regroup, reprioritize, and establish new commitments.
29. Keep it Fun
Keep it Fun
While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Stuff happens. Keep perspective. Don’t take things personally or take yourself too seriously. Smile and laugh every day.
