What Are Your Core Values?

Integrity. Loyalty. Hard Work. Respect For Others. Transparency. Innovation. Perseverance. What are your core values – how do you live them each day?

 Values matter. They mattered 1,000 years ago, 500 years ago and they matter today more than ever. I written about the values of Scouting before - but recently a group of Veterans organizations published a “Veteran’s Creed” to help those folks returning to civilian life and still looking for guidance in the new role in their community. 

 It is not enough to come up with a laundry list of values. It is important explain what you mean by those values. If you are starting an organization or looking to help create a positive culture in your existing one – turn to the company values and engage your employees to explore and discuss them so each person understands how to utilize those in every day decisions and actions they take with co-workers, clients, partners and prospects. They should guide behavior and serve as a compass in times of crisis and uncertainty.

 If you don’t have them yet – no worries – look to the Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, military or even our Declaration of Independence to find the values that resonate and make sense for you and your team.

 One of the reasons I chose Johnson&Johnson when I first left the military was their gold standard Credo. I left there less than 2 years later when my boss directed me to steal sterile samples from one of my hospitals. My point there is simply the importance of having the values but more importantly LIVING those values. They can’t simply be a set of platitudes you put on a wall, annual report, or employee manual. They must be discussed, reinforced constantly so members can truly use them in daily decision-making.  In a recent visit to Amazon, during the tour I asked why someone did a certain thing a certain way. They replied with the company principle that guided that choice.  

 Enjoy these below. Print them out – reflect upon them and match them to your organization or even your family….Parents: discuss them with your children…

 The Veteran's Creed

1.  I am an American Veteran

2. I proudly served my country

3. I live the values I learned in the military

4. I continue to serve my community, my country and my fellow veterans

5. I maintain my physical and mental discipline

6. I continue to lead and improve

7. I make a difference

8. I honor and remember my fallen comrades 

 The participating group of Veterans Service Organizations includes AMVETS, DAV (Disabled American Veterans), HillVets, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, ROA (Reserve Officers Association), Student Veterans of America, Team Rubicon Global, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Wounded Warrior Project.

 ARMY VALUES (LDRSHIP)

Loyalty Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.

Duty Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.

Respect Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to “treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.” Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. And self-respect is a vital ingredient with the Army value of respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. The Army is one team and each of us has something to contribute.

Selfless Service Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.

Honor Live up to Army values. The nation’s highest military award is The Medal of Honor. This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable, and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.

Integrity Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.

Personal Courage Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.

 Girl Scouts

G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)? in

Our Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scout Promise 

On my honor, I will try:

To serve God and my country,

To help people at all times, 

And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be

  honest and fair,

  friendly and helpful,

  considerate and caring, 

  courageous and strong, and

  responsible for what I say and do, 

and to 

  respect myself and others, 

  respect authority,

  use resources wisely,

  make the world a better place, and 

  be a sister to every Girl Scout. 

Boy Scout Oath or Promise

On my honor, I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Boy Scout Law

A Scout is Trustworthy

A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is part of his code of conduct. People can depend on him.

A Scout is Loyal

A Scout is true to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school, and nation.

A Scout is Helpful

A Scout is concerned about other people. He does things willingly for others without pay or reward.

A Scout is Friendly

A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own.

A Scout is Courteous

A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows good manners make it easier for people to get along together.

A Scout is Kind

A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless things without reason.

A Scout is Obedient

A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.

A Scout is Cheerful

A Scout looks for the bright side of things. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy.

A Scout is Thrifty

A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for unforeseen needs. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property.

A Scout is Brave

A Scout can face danger even if he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him.

A Scout is Clean

A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He goes around with those who believe in living by these same ideals. He helps keep his home and community clean.

A Scout is Reverent

A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.

Cub Scouting's 12 Core Values Character Development

Since its origin, the Scouting program has been an educational experience concerned with values. In 1910, the first activities for Scouts were designed to build character, physical fitness, practical skills, and service. These elements were part of the original Cub Scout program and continue to be part of Cub Scouting today

1. Citizenship: Contributing service and showing responsibility to local, state, and national communities.

2. Compassion: Being kind and considerate, and showing concern for the well-being of others.

3. Cooperation: Being helpful and working together with others toward a common goal

4. Courage: Being brave and doing what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties, or the consequences.

5. Faith: Having inner strength and confidence based on our trust in God.

6. Health and Fitness: Being personally committed to keeping our minds and bodies clean and fit.

7. Honesty: Telling the truth and being worthy of trust.

8. Perseverance: Sticking with something and not giving up, even if it is difficult.

9. Positive Attitude: Being cheerful and setting our minds to look for and find the best in all situations.

10. Resourcefulness: Using human and other resources to their fullest.

11. Respect: Showing regard for the worth of something or someone.

12. Responsibility: Fulfilling our duty to God, country, other people, and ourselves.

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