Have you noticed? Many people are in the process of redefining words, and word choice is also changing among professionals. There is a definite drift in meaning from a decade ago and most certainly from two decades or more in the past. Old definitions sometimes don’t apply. It seems always to be a good idea to clarify meaning, especially when the stakes are high regarding communication. For me, I believe word choice matters. Now more than ever, the classic technique of repeating back to the person originating the message for understanding is a good idea.
Merit.
However, if this word is valuable, we must make our values actionable according to some great minds like Drucker or Sinek. ‘To be deserved or be worthy of something‘; therefore, we must become worthy through action if we desire Merit as a value.
We must first win the trust and confidence of our customers, then beat the business. ‘Be worthy of their business.’ It is, in fact, true that words can have volumes of meaning. Merit as a value then encapsulates all it takes to ‘be worthy.’ Over time, we attached experiences and memories. We even associate those individuals in our customer organizations with whom we work. Why? Because they deem us worthy. They make the decisions that award us their business. We ‘win’ the business.
Merit and winning are relational in nature. One drives the other. The other drives cause the one. They enhance and multiply each other. This value of merit demands tangible results for our customers. We ‘award’ or ‘win’ their trust and, subsequently, their business. Through precise, accurate, and on-time execution, we maintain our worthiness. Essentially, we uphold our promise through the execution of our product or service offering. The value returns to a noun; through execution, we attain ‘the quality of being very good at something’ - we have merit.
It reminds me that to win the industry, I must be worthy of the company. It reminds me to stay decent and work on myself and my organization to improve. It reminds me to do what I say I will and ensure everyone in my organization does the same. As a value, Merit drives action. This is why I think Merit works as a ‘value.’ The rubber meets the road when your employee base shares your values. The value of Merit, in particular, resonates with and catalyzes action in employees. This is the value of importance.
Can you explain to me how your values drive action with you and your organization? Can you take your ‘noun’ statement of value and make it a ‘verb’? Many ‘value statements’ in corporations lack clarity in terms of the actions they drive. This week, take some time to think about your organizational goals and the implied action associated with each value. Discuss it with colleagues to ensure it aligns with their interpretation. Values serve as boundary rules for behavior within our organizations, and ensuring continuity in their meaning for every member of your organization is a worthwhile endeavor. Good luck, and I’d love to hear how your journey unfolds.
I am grateful for the time you have invested in this newsletter. It helps you maximize your margin, optimize your teams, and rescue your time. Until the next issue, best wishes for success. It’s time to get to work!
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