Core Values Introduction
MFCEO Q+A 03 Product Development and a Primer on Core Values
To change the world, in a small or large way, your company or studio must have its own living, breathing, Culture.
Core Values
Core Values and their relationship to your Culture, are two foundational, core concepts that will be built upon and referred to throughout the entirety of this project.
These values are behaviours and character traits that are essential to your being as a person, and as you scale out your company beyond just yourself, for your being as a person to be infused into the team as a culture, eventually you must be able to distill and articulate your Core Values.
> MFA Worksheet 012: My Core Values
(Link coming soon! Paid subscriber MFA universe is currently in development. Watch this space!)
Why uncover and live by your core values?
You want a living, breathing culture in your business.
A key example is Harley Davidson. Even as a non-biker, you immediately understand their X-factor.
You need to live, breathe, and enforce your Core Values.
Your Culture is what makes your brand cool.
Your culture is your employees and your customers
Your Team and your Clients.
Product Development
How do I make my product, or for architecture, my service better?
Go the 100%.
(These examples relate to products, but apply to your service of relevant).
Example: Microsoft
Think of any office suite software, or physical product you have purchased or used. Why is if so frustrating every time?
Do no bloat and reissue your product if it is not genuinely improved, and better.
Do not think you can trick your customers
Every time you do it - you lose integrity
Counter Example: Apple (*note - 2015 - this has shifted in 2023)
Ultimate innovation and creativity at tier Steve Jobs era Peak
Apple still has an excellent culture. Apple ‘coolness’ is truly what they are selling
(*post script) - Even apple now is reissuing iPhones and Mac’s, very dangerous, because bit by bit they will lose that excellent culture
As excellent culture declines, sales will slowly decline in suit
If you lose your culture, your coolness, you may have to start again. Once a culture is tainted you cannot get it back.
Define your Core Values. Once you build a team, create your own living, breathing Culture. Then:
Live, operate, hire and fire by your Core Values. Protect your Culture with your life.