1-Oct-2010 Posted by Chris on 1-Oct-2010 | View Comments

Business Value – Creating Opportunity Through Growth and Fair Profit

I was a bit moved this week by something that probably most of you might have found a bit silly, or charming at best. First the back-story:

Last year, myself, my business partner Don and our senior executive team, came together to establish some corporate values. You can apply your typical cynicism to these types of things. It would be natural, because I used to do the same. I suppose though, this excercise felt significantly more important to me now, because we own this company. We have 100% creative license to establish our own values, and full authority to live them out. We are not subject to the whims, wishes and sometimes disengenuous goals of a non-owner C-Suite or board of directors.

So I have decided I would like to write a blog piece on each of them over the next few weeks, and share with you why we feel they are important. Also, since this is a truly personal blog forum, how they resonate with me personally.

So back to my story.

At work we have started something called “Show and Tells”. A fun way for someone in the company to share with the rest of the group what they might be working on, or something that is particulary important to them personally. I highly suggest it as a fun way to get your team away from the day to day grind, and where everyone gets the chance to shine in their own special way.

Yesterday, Tristan Dressler from our office gave a show and tell. It was a very well presented overview of some SEO strategies he is deploying on a new website we are building for a client. That was the first half.

Then Tristan gave us an absolutely detailed and impassioned speech on his brand new car. A very sporty yet practical 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. His presentation included everything from the pound by pound engine torque statistics of the car, to a very visceral description of the feelings he has when driving it. You see, this is Tristan’s first ever new car, and he loves it as much as anything else he loves in his life. He even funningly petitioned Facebook to allow him to update his profile to a not-so-monogamous relationship, so he can declare his mutual love for both his girlfriend AND his car.

Here’s a pic of Tristan giving his show and tell on his new car. Ask him about it sometime, he’s still gushing.

Very charming, and for me very moving. Why?

You see, Tristan provided me a very real reminder about what we value in our company. And maybe  now you should see the connection between this story and the first of our corporate values I would like to highlight. It’s also my favourite, and the one I felt most strongly about including.

“Creating Opportunity Through Growth and Fair Profit”

I had this boss once. He was a bit of a hard-ass on his best day, but he taught me something that I will never forget. (Note that he is an extremely wealthy, often irate, 78 year old, who still works his ass off). So anyways, as basically his right-hand man (man-servant?), I was privy to many conversations, meetings and speeches that he was asked what he was most proud of in his long career. His answer:

He was most proud of the fact that he had personally promoted nearly 30 District Managers in our company. That meant that he would have promoted hundreds of staff, but gave the important title of District Manager to over 30 individuals. All promoted from within.

So back to my story. I was moved yesterday. Firstly because I know that when Tristan joined our company, a new car was a very remote opportunity. But he CHOSE to use the opportunity that was afforded him, and has become a very successful in his current job.

Every new car, new house, new job-title, or even simply a chance to prove that you are exceptionally good at something is a very important part of someone’s job satisfaction. Clearing a path for our staff to seize these things, is what we mean by Creating Opportunity.

No donations in this, simply a committment to a culture where everybody wins.

Note: thanks to Tristan for letting me tell your car story. Stay a Rock Star, so I don’t ever have to delete this post

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