Guiding principles are important to those who work at Microsoft or Nike because they communicate pride and enthusiasm. Employees know their companies represent excellence, the best companies in their industry.
Finding meaning, spirit, and the soul of the workplace is not pure altruism. It’s largely a reaction to toxic workplaces, lack of job security, and the changing employer-employee contract. Also, many of us want more out of life than a paycheck. We want freedom, a balanced life, or meaningful work. Is this the latest fad at work or is a lasting phenomenon? Well, it’s estimated that 80% of employees engage in some form of workplace contemplation or spiritual practice. Walk around some of the cubes at work and look closely at what people have on their desks, pictures of loved ones and maybe a religious symbol.
Values, culture, principles and ethics are now organizational and individual core competencies for success. Core values include respecting individual dignity, integrity, and honesty. Core values become ingrained in the way we act and think. Values and principles then guide us in the right course of action, establish direction, define challenges, and suggest preferred responses.
One of the keys to maintaining work sanity is to understand your employer’s culture or customer’s values. An organizational culture can empower or kill a career. If you understand and reinforce your customer’s or employer’s culture, then there’s a much higher chance you’ll excel.
Life Lesson Earned: Know what you like and don’t like to do. Understand your employer’s or prospective employer’s values. Determine if there’s a gap between your values and your employer’s. If there’s a conflict with your values with those of your employee, deal with it or leave. It’s fairly that simple. Can you live with the difference? If not, do you want to leave? Decide if leaving is worth it.