At KEVOS, our core values are the foundation of everything we do, from engineering design to client collaboration. Core values aren’t just phrases on paper; they shape our organizational beliefs, define our culture, and guide us toward achieving our goals. By cultivating strong core values, any organization can not only grow but thrive, ensuring long-term success.

Organizational Beliefs: The Power of Interpretation

To understand core values, we must first grasp the concept of organizational beliefs. These beliefs are the feelings of certainty, assurance, and consistency that shape how employees act and perform. Beliefs are formed from two interpretations:

• Internal Belief: This comes from your own interpretation of situations and experiences.

• External Belief: This arises from reference points, such as the opinions of others, experiences, or associations with specific events.

For example, in business, a belief in the importance of customer satisfaction may come from both internal experiences (interactions with happy clients) and external references (feedback from colleagues, testimonials, or industry standards).

Why Core Values Matter

Core values serve as reference points that shape these beliefs within an organization. By consistently promoting values such as innovation, dependability, and collaboration, businesses like KEVOS can influence the internal beliefs of their employees. Over time, these values will become ingrained in the company culture, driving performance and ensuring that employees align with the company’s goals.

For instance, let’s take a belief as simple as knowing that Monday follows Sunday—this is an unshakable truth due to years of reinforcement. Similarly, if a business consistently reinforces its commitment to customer-centricity, employees will adopt this as a core belief, ensuring that customers always come first.

However, if the reference points are wrong, it can lead to negative beliefs, which can impact performance. This is why it’s crucial to align core values with accurate and meaningful reference points.

Example of Negative Beliefs

Negative beliefs can severely affect an organization’s success. Consider the common saying, "There's no use crying over spilled milk." While it’s meant to encourage moving on, it might lead to a belief that mistakes aren’t worth addressing. In reality, reflecting on and learning from errors is key to growth.

Similarly, in the business world, if employees believe that missing a deadline doesn't carry serious consequences, it can breed a culture of complacency. At KEVOS, we actively counteract such beliefs by emphasizing accountability and a growth mindset, ensuring that challenges become learning opportunities rather than obstacles.

Framework for Execution: Defining Core Values

At KEVOS, we’ve taken the time to identify our core values, and we regularly reinforce them to ensure our employees live and breathe these principles every day. Some examples of our core values include:

• Customer Centricity: We place the customer at the center of all our decisions. For us, customer satisfaction is not just a goal but a value embedded in our DNA.

• Internal Collaboration: We believe that great results come from teamwork and knowledge sharing. At KEVOS, we encourage our teams to work together to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.

• Ownership: Our employees treat every project as if it were their own. They take full responsibility for their work, ensuring high-quality results at every step.

Core Values in Action: A Look at Global Brands

Let’s take a look at some well-known global companies and their core values to see how these principles shape organizational beliefs:

Core ValuesCompanyPassion for LearningGeneral ElectricCustomer ObsessionAmazonCollaborationCoca ColaInnovationMicrosoftIntegrityUnilever

For example, Amazon's "Customer Obsession" isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s deeply embedded in the company's belief system. Everything Amazon does is driven by the desire to make customers' lives easier, and this value is ingrained in every employee.

Crafting Your Story: Engaging Your Team with Core Values

Telling a compelling story around your core values can help bind your employees emotionally to the company's mission. At KEVOS, our story is one of creativity, precision, and sustainability. We strive to transform engineering visions into reality, not just by following industry standards but by pushing boundaries.

Our values are echoed in everything we do, from the way we collaborate with clients to the precision of our technical drawings. By consistently sharing this story, we’ve created a shared belief system within our team, empowering them to act with confidence and ownership.

The Role of ‘Gems’ in Spreading the Message

At KEVOS, we recognize that positive stories don’t spread by themselves. We’ve identified key employees—our Gems—who embody our values and act as ambassadors within the organization. These individuals are essential in spreading our core values throughout the team, helping create a unified culture that’s reflected in every interaction with our clients.

By promoting our core values consistently and providing clear examples of success, we build a positive belief system that resonates with everyone at KEVOS.

Setting Milestones and Action Steps

Building strong core values and organizational beliefs doesn’t happen overnight. It requires clear milestones and actionable steps. At KEVOS, we map out our progress by setting achievable goals and holding regular meetings to ensure everyone is aligned.

For example, one of our milestones might be to reduce project turnaround time by 10% within six months. To achieve this, we focus on core values like efficiency and innovation, encouraging employees to think outside the box and find new ways to streamline processes.

We also use tools like internal webinars, emails, and team meetings to reinforce our core values, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

Conclusion: The Power of Core Values in Business Growth

Core values are more than just ideals—they’re the building blocks of a successful organization. At KEVOS, we live by values such as customer centricity, collaboration, and ownership. These core beliefs help us deliver exceptional service and ensure that our team stays motivated and aligned with our mission.

By defining, reinforcing, and celebrating your core values, you can foster a positive and resilient culture within your organization, just as we’ve done at KEVOS. When your team believes in your mission and values, they will go above and beyond to ensure the success of your business.