•  Everything we do can be done well or poorly. We should take pride in all of our actions and interactions, both with our clients, and our peers. The quality of our communications and information should match the quality of our work. For more, see our definition of Craftsmanship.

•  Act in the best interests of our clients.  Take responsibility when things go wrong, even when it isn’t our fault.  Our reputation is one of our greatest assets.  Our goal is to leave our clients delighted when the job is complete.  What do we have to do to make that happen?

•  The company performs a complex function with many steps along the way.  Sometimes what seems to be best for one of us may cause harm to all of us. 

•  Share problems as soon as they are identified so that the group can work on a solution before the situation gets worse. 

•  Consult with all involved parties before making decisions and taking action.

•  Manage your interactions with your peers to maximize the good of the group.

•  Do it Right the First Time:  Think before acting.  Take the time to understand the task at hand.  Double check your work before proceeding to the next step. 

•  Commit to When:  Always include estimated time to complete when communicating your plans.

•  Gather data so that performance can be measured.  Understand the ways that data reflects reality and also the impact of things that can’t be measured.

•  We have to keep innovating.  Our clients expect us to be as modern as Apple or Amazon.

•  New ideas and processes must be subject to an evaluation process, and may require repeated experiments before success is achieved. 

•  Sometimes we will reject change.  Asking “Why is this better?” is OK.

•  Those of us whose strength is executing the existing methods at the highest level also contribute to the health of the company.  We honor steadfast commitment to excellence.

•  The company resembles a football team:  a complex set of functions performed by specialists acting in a coordinated manner. 

•  Presume good intent from your fellow workers.

•  Be cheerful and positive.  It makes everything go better.

•  Help when asked.  Ask for help when needed.

•  Don’t hold grudges.  Forgive past mistakes.

•  Our work is difficult, and it’s inevitable that stressful situations will arise. 

•  We have a duty to seek to understand why others aren’t agreeing with us, and to search for the validity of their point of view.

•  We must be open to the possibility that we are mistaken.  We must be open to the possibility that our reflex reaction to challenges may be causing additional difficulties.

•  We will accept decisions which, made in good faith and for the good of the company, may be counter to our personal wishes.