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Core Values · Business Roundtable

0:01
All right, everybody, welcome back. We're here at the Business Networking Roundtable
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podcast where we talk about important topics to business owners and learning from a season's
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suite of executives and folks that have had run small businesses work with small business
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owners. My name is David Carr here of Stewart Your Business, where my
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focus is organizational health, team building alignment with the business owners. So I
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love that part of what I get to do. And I'll have each of
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our panel members introduce themselves, starting with Doxy. Hello, Curtis Cochran here,
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we are emergers and Acquisitions firm and we help build businesses to prepare them
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to exit. And thank you for inviting me one more time each and every
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week. I love it. Thank you excellent. And we've got Bill Hatch.
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You joined us for the first time last week. We got him back
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this week, So Bill, thanks for joining us. Oh it's my pleasure.
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I let's see. I am a leadership guide and podcaster. I do.
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I teach a form of leadership called ethical leadership, which is based on
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eight actionable behaviors that are designed to bring teams together and in support of their
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leader, as opposed to making the leader an island unto him or herself.
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And I also have my own podcast. In fact, I'll be recording another
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episode tomorrow of Not Quite After Midnight and on my own production label called Bald
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Spots Productions. Awesome, Yes, I have one. Thank you Bill.
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If you couldn't tell Bill's amazing voice here, We're glad to have you.
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Bill and Stacey, welcome back. Thank you gentlemen. I represent the women
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on the team here. So my name is Stacy Kitoshida. I am a
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business resource specialist, and what I do is work with business owners on strategies
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in two areas of their business. One is addressing their workforce concerns and the
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others their cash flow. Their workforce concerns are through employee programs such as group
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benefits and all types of other programs to create a company culture so they're staff
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will love working for them. And as far as their cash we're looking for
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strategies to either pre tax benefits or see if they qualify for state and federal
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tax incentives to put more money back into their bottom line to be more profitable.
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So yes, we're big advocates for small business. Thank you Stacy.
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And finally we got Charlie, here's the night who can actually be our facilitator
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in our conversation. So welcome Charlie, welcome back. It's been a little
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while if we had you, We're glad to have you back, and go
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ahead and introduce yourself and share your topic for the night. Thank you,
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David. It's always a pleasure and it's my plum pleasing pleasure and privilege to
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be here with you all. Fine lady and gentlemen. So well, a
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little bit about myself. I'm the CXO, Chief Experience Officer over at intelisis
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we do cybersecurity for small to mid sized companies, And yeah, I'm very
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excited to be the facilitator for today's session or tonight's session, which is going
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to be on core values, What are they, why they matter, and
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how they can transform your business. And it's actually doves tail perfectly into last
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week's session, which is know Thyself. So if you didn't didn't get to
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catch that yet, definitely check that out. And part of knowing thyself as
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a company as a business is to figure out what are your core values.
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So I'd love to hear your take on what our core values. So we'll
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start with you, David, and we'll go around. Well, you know,
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there are so many things. But really for me, core values are
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getting clear at what is meaningful to me and values to me are as a
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small business owner. Core values to me is bringing being clear about those and
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bringing that to the marketplace because you have to find people that are in alignment
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with your values, and if you can't articulate them clearly, it's really hard
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to connect with people my experience, so it's important, it's really important to
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understand what is valuable to you and and then articulating them because there's a lot
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of different things and you and so the challenge for me what was and is
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and is to you know what are the priority in those as well. So
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I'm excited to learn from other other folks here in our conversation about where where
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do those values fit in? But definitely that that's that's key to me,
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knowing what what's important and what you value and then as a small business owner,
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how do I marry that with others add that same value or need that
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which I value and can bring right, So don't just have it live in
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your head, no, don't you got to be able to articulate it very
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clearly absolutely. Okay, perfect, See what about you? What what what
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our core values? In your definition? That's such a good question, you
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know, it's kind of whatever you are on the week three or four,
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I can't remember, but we started with police and of course last week know
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thyself and and really core values values yourself is you know, belief systems and
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when you're dealing with business or cultures, you know, we have compassion,
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accountability, competition, personal growth. I mean all of these things. I
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mean there's a there's just a variety of different types of core values. But
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my big question as you get dive into tonight is maybe are these core values
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subjective or objective? And can they be defined one way or the other,
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especially for media company. So that's that's kind of been my interest when it
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when we start talking about core values or common core values. Mm hmm,
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gotcha. Okay, very cool. Thank you for your your feedback on that,
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doxy Stacy. I'd love to hear your take on what what are core
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values? You know, I'm excited to be diving into this too because we
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kind of touched on it last week. I know that Doxie was talking about
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relating to systems. We brought up culture David. As David mentioned that it
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is a set of beliefs, a set of beliefs and principles that are important
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to you and your organization that you want to guide the behavior and the decisions
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within your organization. And you know, as we also last week touched on
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that your core values and the company culture needs to be established by the leadership,
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because I mean, I've seen companies corporations where it wasn't either stated or
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it wasn't I don't know if you can enforce core virus, but there was
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no buy in, and so you had employees creating this whole cult chaos,
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chaos. At some point, even the business owner may be held hostage by
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the gangsters in the company because a set of core values were established apart from
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what the owners owner's original thoughts were. But they definitely are our principles.
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And you know, I'm excited about digging deep because I know that we're talking
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about what they are. But you know, really business owners may understand why
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they're important, and how do you establish a culture uh that will be able
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to foster those you know, those core values. So absolutely we'll get to
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the y in a second here. Thank you for your feedback, Stacey,
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I absolutely believe that you definitely got it. That's where you start from.
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That's that's the context, right that we operate from. That you are committing
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your business to operate from and everybody that represents your business. So that's so
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true that it has to start from the top down. So Bill, what
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what is your take? What? What are core values to you? Well?
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Core values to me? Well, you know tonight's callback last week when
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we talked about we did talk about the value statement. You and I believe
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that that the core values must be definable otherwise you really can't get a buy
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in from anybody. And uh, you know, and uh and while these
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core values have to be defined by the leadership and be a top down product,
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buy in has to be bottom up, you know, because if the
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people, if the boot's on the ground, don't appreciate or or buy into
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those values, then h then the companies then you might as well not have
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them. But but the the core core values are just a it's a set
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of things that are valuable. As David said, they're valuable to you.
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They may not be something that can be bought or sold. They don't go
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necessarily go on the on the balance sheet. But uh, but they are
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important to the company to do what it is the company wants to do,
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whether that be uh, you know, make money at all costs, or
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or make the world a better place while we make money, or somewhere in
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between. You know, we definitely need to have those those core values.
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Absolutely. Yeah. The way I see it, it's it's a guiding light,
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right, it's a it's your compass where you're going as a business.
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And so i'd love to actually hear it because part of coming up with your
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core company core values, you don't want it to be too big of a
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list, a laundry list where it just becomes a plaque on the wall or
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you know, somewhere digitally sitting collecting digital dust or physical dust. So we
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want to limit it down to five to seven or eight at the max.
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So it's kind of perfect. We got five people here i'd love to hear.
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Uh. I know it's hard to pick, like your top one,
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but just one that's really top of mind for you, that's really critical.
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Uh. So we'll start with you, Bill, pick a pick a core
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value that you operate from, whether it be representing yourself or your business.
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But one that comes to mind that's always top of mind for you, and
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why that matters to you. Oh well, it would probably have to be
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something along the lines of your concern for the employees, for the for the
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the people down the ladder. Well, I'm not saying hypothetically, yeah,
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I know, I'm just trying to I'm trying to think through to get something
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that would be definable as a as a core value. I mean the employees
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themselves, you know. It's like our employees are are the greatest ass that
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we have. Love it, So valuing people is what I what I'm hearing
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you saying is that that's pretty accurate. Okay, absolutely, and why that's
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the core that's the core of ethical leadership. Absolutely, ethical leadership I teach
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very cool, very cool. I was gonna say that ties in perfectly with
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your your style of leadership. Yeah, Stacey, how about you? What
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what's top of mind for you when it comes to a core value that you
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operate from and why that matters to you? Why it matters to me?
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You know, one of the organizations that I'm a part of, the Wealth
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Builders, it's gonna some of the core values that that are important to me.
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One is, and I'll give you this is gonna be my question to
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doc see because these core values, then I'm going to name My question is
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can they be measurable? So one is like take responsibility, deal direct If
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you have an issue with someone you know, either deal directly with them or
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let it go. Constant personal communication, have that lead by example. All
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of those are important. And it's funny when there is a conflict or if
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there is an issue within the office, That's what I think of, is
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like if either deal with it or let it go, So it guides my
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decisions and my behavior when I'm dealing within that organization because I know that that
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is what we're all starving for, is to everyone to not just buy into
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it, but to be able to you know, show, be able to
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demonstrate those core values and the way we interact with each other, the way
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we interact with our clients and so but I'm wondering can those types of core
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values be measurable? And so that would be my question to Doxie go for
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a doctor. What do you say, Doc, I want to hear this
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too. Yeah, you know, and that's one of the things when you
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develop these core values. I think it kind of builds touched on a little
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bit is and I've always said this. You know, you give more value,
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more value than you take in dollars, because you're if you're not making
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money in any business common these these core values mean nothing, nothing, let's
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face it. I mean, that's the bottom line. So behind all of
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that, I would choose back to you, Charlie, I would choose compassion.
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You know, I think the compassion would be the ultimate number one in
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any company, Compassion for well being because all of us are, we're human,
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and we're fallible, we make mistakes. But I think to answer your
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question, Stacy, I think that when you build some core values in a
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business culture, you have to be able to measure them so that you can
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assist or at least help humans go in and out of them. As we
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mentioned last week, they're systems, and you have to be able to measure
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it to actually help humans go in and out of these systems, to make
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them better, to make them better. Now, you're going to have the
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five percent or you know, ten percent or whatever percentage of humans that just
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don't want to follow the rules. And that's just the way it is.
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There's no way around it. But you deal with them with that C word,
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and that is compassion. You deal with them, you say, you
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know, hey, Johnny, you're not working within our system. We're going
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to have to let you go and we will write you a recommendation or whatever
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that might be. But I think that to answer your question, Charlie,
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I think that compassion is probably number one in my book, and then you
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kind of can filter down with all the others after compassion because competition, that's
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the nature of business, and if you're not making any money, it doesn't
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matter what you do. Uh So I think if you start with compassion,
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because everybody knows that you're going to compete, you're going to compete with the
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uh your competitor, that's maybe a block away. You're just gonna have to
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do better. And what is that going to involve? Compassion? That's just
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that's my two cents. So now I know what the C stands for in
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doc C. I love it. Yeah, Well, David, I'd love
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to hear a key core value that that you operate from, why it matters
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to you, and also the measurability part of it, because that's that's true.
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Like we always talk about setting smart goals or things like that, which
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is like you know, specific, measurable, achieve, attainable, you know,
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realistic and time you know. So sometimes does it are we required to
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actually have our core values follow that smart format? You know what I mean?
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So please take us away? Yeah? I think so. I want
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to back up just for a moment, because I think what Curtis is getting
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at making money means you bring value. People do not pay you if you
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don't bring value. So really living your values, that's what I love.
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That's what I love about the United States in our capitalistic world is that you
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could become innovative, You come up with something of value and you can exchange
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that and somebody says willingly, they want to give you money because you make
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their life better. You bring something and you contribute. Now we talked to
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I'm going to throw it back even further. When we talked about the five
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voices, we talked about who we are right, It's really, I think,
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really important as entrepreneurs and business owners that we understand ourselves and our unique
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talents, abilities and skills because we are all uniquely made and we all have
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different value that we can bring to others. And what I find sometimes challenging
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is people try to they see a value in somebody else or something other skill,
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they try to mimic that, and it's not there. It's not their
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value, it's not what they're specifically talented at. But they see somebody being
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successful at it, they try to mimic it rather than understanding who they are.
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And when they try to do that artificially, it doesn't last. So
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I just wanted to step back there for a minute for me in using the
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five voices tool as an example, because I literally had just bring these out.
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I share these. This is this is mine, connector nice, this
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is one of my this is my primary voice. Uh and a connector and
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that's one of my top that's one of my one of my main values is
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connection. And what's helped me in writing values. Sometimes you start with a
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word, which I think is important, but if you can write a sentence
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to that word, it helps put some more meat on the bone. So
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for me, connection means we foster genuine connections with our clients, our colleagues,
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and our communities. We build strong relationships through trust and mutual respect,
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and that underpends everything we do. So could you measure that? Yes?
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I believe you could measure that. It's not in numbers necessarily, but it's
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it's you know, trust, you see how the relationship. If I pick
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up the phone and I call somebody, will they call me right back or
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wait a week or two weeks or whatnot? They value the relationship. So
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the response is there. So how we measure that is going to be different
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depending on the value, and you can't apply it the same way every time,
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so I want to be careful about that. And is there some aspects
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of those smart goals a little bit, but I think that would be misapplied
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oftentimes in values Specifically, those are more for like goal like specific task and
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measurable items, where a value is something you live forever essentially. I like
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how you mentioned that, David, because in how you frame that, I
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do believe that there's some way of measuring because if you are to bring value
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to your clients and and that that word encompasses falling through and keeping your willing
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and all of that. And you have a culture where people are where employees
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are not valuing their their clients and you see sales going down or you see
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you know, customers who are not content, I believe there's there's a way
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to measure that in some type of you know, that is measurable in some
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format or whatnot, Right, Doxy, I think that that's what you But
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I think when people think of values, they think of, you know,
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being considerate and kind and are like, well, how do you how do
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you measure that? Like if my employers are being kind to each other or
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are they're dealing directly with each other, Well, you have to look at
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it within context of the whole culture of the company culture. If you got
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bickering, you've got division, and you got all this other crap excuse me
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going on, then you've got to take a step back and take a look
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at it and say, what's what's going on here? Now? Doxy is
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probably better at it as far as measuring it. I can see that there's
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madness going on and deal with it on a human motional level. But I
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like the fact that that is important for business owners to put some type of
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value on it, because I think then the importance of company core values becomes
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even more significant because it really affects your bottom line. It affects the success
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of your business. And you know, I'm saying it is deeper than just
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let's have some core values and everybody can we all get along? Is deeper
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than that. So yeah, well, I do like the fact that you
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want to have some level of measurability because how are you going to know and
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hold people accountable to your value core values if there's not a way to measure
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that, right, And so I'd love to, you know, just hear
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some ways that that you know, maybe you've seen it done or you currently
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are advising businesses to do it a certain way in terms of, you know,
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actually looking at the current staff and looking at your core values that you're
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committed to and obviously first and foremost making sure they're all on board with it,
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and then actually having a way to track like okay, are you are
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you? You know, uh, there's those so different measure there's like a
23:00
detractor versus a uh promoter versus neutral, Right, So what are some ways
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that that you know you are holding the company, in the whole team,
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the whole staff accountable to your core values. So, David, I just
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want to add, So I think, like I said, if and I
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think invite everybody on the call here to night. If you guys have a
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value and you're not clear on but let's work on it, cause I think
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there's power in refining it and asking yourselves a question. So if you come
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up with a word, right, so I think you know, I think
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one of the words. Yeah, So I didn't get to share my value
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and consistent, reliable. Yeah, so that's your word. Those are your
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values. But then you want to put some kind of Charlie, I'll just
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ask you. So you say reliable and consistent, and then employee or your
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coworker says, well, what does that? What does that exactly mean?
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I have some idea, but that's where I'm saying you. You can add
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a sentence or to to that that value. It gives some context. So
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I'll give you an example just for me, Charlie, and then we'll come
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back for a second. Just so because I think somebody else said it kindness
24:15
or compassion, So I use kindness as another as another value. I have
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kindness too, So I say kindness. I say in my sentence, I
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have it up here. So I want to make sure I get this out
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of there. I know the words, but the word. But we approach
24:26
our work with kindness and empathy. We understand that every interaction, no matter
24:33
how small, has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of
24:37
others. That's my That's what kindness means. So if I if I'm living
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kindness and somebody says they don't show empathy, right, or they don't they
24:47
don't value each interaction with an individual, no matter how small, then we're
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saying, hey, we're out of alignment with our values in this company.
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So that's a way that then you can say, what does that look like?
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So when I say that, Charlie, when you talk about reliability,
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how would you put a sentence to that so that somebody in your company would
25:04
know they're actually living that value? So do you have a set or not?
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Right? I don't have it yet. Yeah, So that's that's a
25:14
great point. That's some homework I got to do. Right, Well,
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that's the thing. And we that's if we help have a company culture like
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you're talking about, Stacey, where we we can't really wholly accountable, but
25:26
like we we show up for each other and we say we all agree to
25:30
these values, right and now we're off target. That gives us then we're
25:37
calling to speak into our our co workers or those are in our lives,
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your church organization, right that is not living those values because you said you
25:45
said I didn't force it on you. You said, I'm I'm coming in
25:48
this organization, I believe in these values I'm setting up, and then when
25:52
we fall short of those values, we call the person out because they I
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wasn't. I wasn't forcing you. You you willingly adopted these and said you
26:00
were going to live by them. Okay, So I have a question on
26:03
that. So so then some from what I'm hearing you say is, let's
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say you set up a business, you establish these core values. You're saying
26:11
individuals can come in and they create their own core values, or as Bill
26:17
mentioned, that you have company core values. There's got to be buying from
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the bottom, correct, Bill, you got to have somebody. Yeah,
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what's right? So here's the thing is I guess the question would be,
26:30
then and how do you get buy in? I mean, what what is
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your experience or what do you how do you feel that companies can get their
26:37
employees to buy in? And because we already know if they're not, if
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they don't, uh A he to the values? I'd love you because you're
26:48
talking about yes, well, one of the ways is to and the best
26:53
way I've found so far is to involve the people on the ground in their
27:00
development. It's kind of it's kind of like an ethical inception if you ever
27:07
saw the movie, but an ethical form of inception where you basically make them
27:14
make you get the people you want to buy in to think of it as
27:18
their own idea, and so if you get them to help develop the values,
27:26
then it becomes internalized. They they suddenly it's it was my idea to
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have have this concern for the employees, you know, And if you wanted
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it to be actionable, then yeah, you'd have to do something like like
27:44
using the smart guidelines. I actually I actually have smarter guidelines specific, measurable,
27:51
ambitious, realistic, time bound ethical because you've got to have the ethical
27:56
in there and reevaluable because you have to be able to go back and be
28:02
able to Okay, this isn't working or this could work better, let's reevaluate
28:07
that. And so but yeah, yeah, go back to the question.
28:14
Yeah, it's it's all about it's yeah. I think the best way is
28:19
just simply that getting the getting the people involved in developing it so that it's
28:27
not an order from on high. I got a question for Stacy because Stacy,
28:30
you do benefits in helping people right in other companies. Right. So
28:37
one of the things I've seen then in the past, like and I love
28:41
what you shared, Bill, is how do you regularly embrace those values?
28:47
So an example we used to do at one of my companies, we would
28:51
do a recognition program, So when somebody was living that value, you would
28:56
literally write up and say a recognition like, hey, you live this value
29:00
today, and we give them a you know, ten dollars twenty dollars gift
29:03
card because they're living at what's the value? What were you doing that embody
29:08
that you could you could be gift card, it could be you know,
29:12
uh, a recognition during a meeting, right right. You you work with
29:19
people all the time, so you have to figure out, right, you
29:21
have to figure out what benefits matter to the employer and employees because you have
29:26
a lot of different things, but what matters to them and gets them engaged
29:29
excited? Right? Right? So your question to me is is speak a
29:34
question again? Please, It's just it's just to think about Stacey. I
29:37
think is one way you're asking how do you get people to get buy in?
29:41
I think using your skills as a oh I see I see what the
29:45
employees it self interest like, what is that they're interested? What motivates them?
29:51
Right, so you can incorporate that into the right What I find is
29:56
and it's an interesting question. Let me let me give an example how I
30:00
see corporate values and to play and how it starts from the top, How
30:06
it starts from the top, and you have to get buying from the bottom.
30:10
A lot of the small companies again who don't have established strong corporate values,
30:15
or they're there, but they're they're not defined clearly. And I have
30:22
some that do. For example, let's say that that they want to the
30:26
owner wants to show the employees that he or she cares about them, and
30:33
that part of it is is that they want to be able to attract better
30:37
talent and retain better talent. And they understand that BAM benefits is one way
30:44
that statistically shows that you can attract better talent. So I've gone to business
30:48
owners that currently don't offer any benefits, and I'll talk to them and give
30:52
them strategies of either how to bring in benefits at affordable, affordably or at
30:59
no cause, all these different choices, and they'll say something like, well,
31:03
my people can't afford it or they don't want it, and so and
31:11
then I look at that and I go, well, if you wanted your
31:15
values is to show your business or your employees that you value them and you
31:21
want to offer the benefits, that's one. That's one side there. Whether
31:26
or not they take it or not, that's on them. But when you
31:30
start allowing your staff to dictate how you now demonstrate how you care for your
31:37
staff, or how you show appreciation whatnot based on their behavior, now you
31:41
set up a company culture where nobody wants to come into your business because you
31:48
don't offer any benefits. You allowed you allowed your current situation, your current
31:52
staff, to dictate whether or not you offer benefits because instead of thinking in
31:57
the future like this, this is how I want my business to look like,
32:00
this is how the I want to be able to track this, this
32:05
type of employee that values this and this, and that they look at where
32:08
they currently are with their current staff, and then they allow that culture to
32:14
develop within that that company. Uh, this doesn't make sense. And that
32:17
blows me away because I'm thinking, well, but they're thinking, well,
32:22
you know, if I if you have to come and spend an hour a
32:23
year to present benefits and they don't want it, then I've got to pay
32:28
them and it's a waste of time. That's a small picture. The bigger
32:30
picture would be how do I want my corporation to look like? How do
32:34
I want to demonstrate that I care for my employees? And I'm going to
32:37
dictate the culture they don't want to find, but I will bring in people
32:40
that see the value of working for my company. You understand what I'm saying.
32:45
One more example, I have a nature DIRECTA is young and he he
32:52
again he was going to follow what he learned behaviors that he learned a nature
32:55
director at his previous job. And so if the people knew and hires would
33:00
come in, he would say, you know, we offer these benefits,
33:04
and if they said we didn't want it, he would say okay, And
33:07
I said, I'll call him to George. George. Some of the best
33:10
practices with the larger companies would be to offer the benefits but require that they
33:17
sit in front of me to get the education. If they don't want it,
33:22
they can sign a waiver that protects you as the corporation, so no
33:24
one can go back and say, well, it was never offered the benefits
33:29
they actually were educated, you know. And so I'm amazed out at every
33:34
new hire that he brings on. They're required to talk to me, and
33:37
if they don't want it, they don't have it. So he's created this
33:40
culture and this expectation because one he holds them to that standard and he doesn't
33:46
back down. And so that's what I see right now and some of the
33:52
businesses that I work with of how the owner is upholding the standard of the
33:58
culture and where or where they're allowing them employees to dictate that, and how
34:01
they get stuck in this cycle of culture. You know, this culture among
34:06
the employees that they don't like, is their babies become something that they don't
34:09
like because they'll allow employees to set the standards and the values and you know
34:15
whatnot. So I don't know if I answered your question, but I hope
34:16
you got something out of that. I got something out of that. No,
34:21
I hear I heard you, Stacy, I mean real quick, because
34:23
I really want to get doc I want to hear doc Cy and Charlie.
34:25
But I just to respond to your question, because yes, I believe you
34:30
can have if values aren't clear, like you're saying, or the business owner,
34:35
the employees will there will be values. Whether you agree with them or
34:38
not, there are values, and I think what you're what I heard you
34:43
say, Stacy, is that if you're not intentional about that, the employees
34:47
will start to do that and that may not be in the best interest of
34:51
the business long term. So if you're not paying attention to that, there
34:55
will there will there's a vacuum. It will be filled one way or the
34:58
other, is what I I'm all right, I'm still trying to figure out,
35:06
doc, how we're going to fire people that don't align with our core
35:09
values. I heard you say it like in a very nice way. So
35:15
I want to hear how you how can you hold people accountable to core values?
35:21
Well, you know now you're now you're talking about how large the company
35:28
is and if they have an HR department, Because if they have an HR
35:30
department, then there's there's several steps that you have to go through to maybe
35:37
let somebody go, and of course you have to give them an opportunity for
35:43
personal development. You know. But as I was listening to and not to
35:50
redirect what your question was, Charlie, But as I was listening to David
35:57
and Stacey. You know, one of the things that that I do and
36:01
even when I when I work with companies to exit or even merge and you
36:07
have different cultures and even build cultures, is the first thing that I always
36:14
ask is why why? And this is to the leadership team, is why
36:20
is your company dysfunctional? Because it is. I don't care what every organization
36:27
is. And that's not being negative, it's it's a fact. So the
36:30
very first question I always ask is why why is it dysfunctional? That's where
36:36
you start, and then you start to build, maybe or rebuild the these
36:42
core values that you that you speak of. And and I and I did
36:46
mention a little bit of the HR department. I think the HR department has
36:52
made companies even better than what they were before because the HR department is just
36:59
kind of a a sounding board for management and employees. But at the same
37:04
time, at least someone is there to listen to the problems because these employees
37:10
employees are trying to work through these common core values that we have or even
37:17
the systems, and what we have to do is or at least not not
37:23
us personally, but for those that are listening to this is that you have
37:28
to understand that we're fallible. I've said that before. And when you know
37:31
that humans are fallible, then you know this. You know that you're going
37:36
to have to give them checks and balances and a chance to recover, a
37:42
chance to personally grow, and you have to have equality within all of that.
37:49
So I mean, it's it's a lot of work to develop these core
37:52
values, but at the same time, it's doable. You just have to
37:58
be able to have a measurable I've said that before too. I have a
38:04
question, go ahead, so regarding small business owners that have multiple hats and
38:10
they don't have it in their budget to have an HR division, how can
38:15
small business owners address that or create a sense of HR department? And I'll
38:22
tell you, Stacey, I'm glad you asked that question because you're absolutely correct.
38:25
The small business owner with all the hats, if they're a mess,
38:30
they are absolutely a mess. And if you're a small business owner listening to
38:34
this, you are a mess because of all those hats. And when those
38:39
when you're wearing all those hats, it causes problems with your small business.
38:46
That's why they hire companies like you, Stacy. And there are companies out
38:52
there that you can pay monthly fee to that have even hr with them that
38:59
can help you with them, you know a d P. I mean I
39:00
can name but name several of them that are out there. And if you're
39:05
a small business owner with you know it's yourself and five employees, I would
39:09
encourage them to actually spend the money to actually do just that and hire people
39:15
like David and use Stacey and even build to to help them along with that.
39:22
They need the help. They just don't want to do it. They
39:24
don't want to spend the money, but they need that. They need it
39:29
for sure. That gets amen. Amen. I'll add on to that because
39:34
I'm looking at just that's why one of my other core values docs the as
39:38
you're talking about that is proactive. You've got to be proactive as a business
39:43
owner, uh small business owner, and and be forward thinking, anticipate these
39:50
needs, you know, planning, and then like you said, look for
39:52
outside help. My goodness, I've learned that from other entrepreneurs. And you're
39:58
trying to be all these things and the investment you can the group, the
40:04
advancement you can make like you're saying that, actually, if you just spend
40:07
a little bit, you don't need a full time HR person business do not.
40:12
You just need somebody for a season or a time, and that's all
40:15
you need, So you don't. You got to think a little bit more
40:17
strategically here. But it's I think sometimes you feel like, yes, we
40:22
all want or the other. So that's why we have this whole podcast and
40:25
discussion. Is that open up your mind to the possibilities that are out there?
40:29
Yeah? Yeah, and there are plenty of more. Let's go with
40:32
boutique instead of instead of small, but boutique HR companies out there that would
40:39
that would serve you for an hour a month or three hours every every two
40:45
months, or whatever it is that your needs happen to be. You know,
40:49
it's it's out there. You can you can find it. We can.
40:52
I'm sure between the five of us we could probably recommend several Leave a
40:57
comment if you if you're struggling there, you're absolutely correct, Bill, and
41:05
employees don't want to go they have issues, and they don't want to go
41:07
to the owner and tell them their issue because they know exactly how it works.
41:15
So they'd rather talk to an independent party or HR or somebody out there
41:19
that would actually listen to what they have to say yeah, absolutely correct.
41:23
So I don't know how much time we have. I know that years ago
41:27
I owned a learning center and I'm gonna throw a scenario out there, and
41:30
so I need all of us to collaborate on this problem. I had an
41:36
instructor that was coming from La. She knew and it was all the way
41:38
in Rancha PLASCORDI was where my center was located. She accepted the position,
41:44
and when she first started she was on time, and then she started arriving
41:47
late, which would hold up the classes that she was scheduled to teach.
41:52
And so at some point I said, because I was one of those business
41:57
owners that wore multiple hats, I brought her in and I said, this
42:00
is a problem. What can I do to help you, you know,
42:02
get on time, you know, not mess up the classes. And I
42:06
tried to work with her and there was no solution. I mean I gave
42:12
her multiple attempts to help her, and at one point I said, you
42:15
know what, if this happens again, I have to let you go.
42:19
I just have to let you go. So in her mind her problem was
42:22
now here's the thing. Hr HR companies are not going to solve immature problems
42:30
like get your behind on the road early enough so that you can get to
42:35
your work, you know late. I mean, there's some things that HR
42:37
you don't need to involve HR. And there's some some not rules, but
42:44
systems that you have to place to have in place to be able to gauge
42:49
the behavior of your staff so that you can, you know, if that's
42:52
where're doxy was talking about. You have to be able to gauge that,
42:55
and there are times when you have to be able to put systems in place
43:00
to document it. And then at some point, if you have to let
43:02
them go, let them go. But at least you have a system to
43:06
give them a chance to to you know, to change or improve, and
43:09
then you know, let them go. And then there are are compliant questions
43:15
that a lot of business owners have regarding how to deal with their employees,
43:19
such as that I think that's where the HR companies, I like what builds
43:23
at the boutique ones. I like boutique that sounds cute would come in handy
43:30
because it can advise the business owner on how to deal with that that employee
43:36
and the behavior of the employee. I don't know if HR boutique companies or
43:43
adp wor not just want employees picking up the phone complaining my bosses is to
43:49
demanding in my boss you know, I guess do you have to set up
43:52
some understand what the role of the HR department or is. And in other
43:58
words, there's internal messes that are going on because of just human behavior,
44:02
human issues, and then there's compliant issues where now the business owner needs to
44:07
protect the business and the employees by make sure that they maintain some form of
44:12
compliance so that they don't get in trouble and just lose the company, you
44:15
know what I'm saying. So I think that's there has to be a separation
44:17
as the types of messes that that we're talking about. Is my plan,
44:23
Yeah, I'll just add I mean I'm not an HR specialist, and there
44:28
are legal things and an HR person does, like you're saying, stacy with
44:30
compliance. So that's a very specific role. Now it may blend over to
44:36
some of the things we're talking about, but ultimately the HR's responsibility is to
44:40
protect the company. That's what they're supposed to do. They are watching with
44:44
the people, but they're at the end of the day, they're looking at
44:46
risk with the company. Right, right, But but you still need some
44:52
type of systems to be able to deal with just human nature. I mean
44:57
I agree, well that's what I do, right, That's what build es
45:00
too. I we come into organizations, we look at the org I look
45:02
at the organizational health, what is going on there? And I come in
45:06
as kind of like a doctor if you old Stacy, like kind of opening
45:09
up and like where is it hurt? What's going on and to start to
45:13
get people to talk to because what I found, Stacy, and what you
45:15
your very point is the most employees are not going to go to the business
45:20
owner, even the most open and welcoming business owner in the world. They
45:23
won't go to the business owner and tell them. Even if the buzz of
45:27
thems them a straight place, straight in the face and tells them, please
45:29
talk to me about this. They're just by their own they by their own
45:32
decision. They just don't feel comfortable. They don't feel like they can go
45:38
talk to the business owner. So what happens on my experience is this is
45:43
why I started my company, is to come into the third party because then
45:45
it's like, hey, David's not doesn't work here. You could leave it
45:47
at any time. I can open up and share with him. So where
45:51
you're getting at, Stacy right here is like where is a business owner?
45:53
Can you find that? Whether it's me as a consultant or a situation.
45:59
You know, sometimes you'll depending on the level of the people in the organization.
46:05
You know, they're a similar peer group. You know, if they're
46:07
working with somebody below the business owner, they might talk with a bit you
46:09
know, their direct supervisor or somebody else with a peer group that's and you
46:14
can get information from them that way if you're strategic and you know how to
46:19
invite that. But not a lot of business owners do that, and they
46:22
don't know how to really get clear number one, just to get some clear
46:28
information and then to take action on it. It's unclear to them. So
46:32
you're absolutely right. And if you don't do that though, like you said
46:36
earlier, Stacey, they're gonna they're gonna do their own thing, and it's
46:39
it can get bad. It can be kind of cancer auss to you if
46:43
you're not intentional. Absolutely right, you got people talking bad about each other
46:47
and backstabbing and just all I like what dots you said mess So Doc David,
46:53
thank you for that. I'm glad that you go in and help heal
46:57
the cut the cancer out too. So yeah, absolutely, absolutely, Yeah,
47:01
that's I really appreciate the the all the different scenarios, and I think
47:07
we could definitely have a whole different segment on HR. Yeah, but let's
47:14
pivot here. I want to add on a high note and I want to
47:17
hear just each of your take just one minute. How can core values transform
47:24
your business? So we'll start with Bill and then we'll yeah, and we'll
47:30
come around mine. Well, it can. It can change your business in
47:37
many ways. It can both limit you, you know, give you,
47:42
give you boundaries, I guess would be a better way to put it.
47:46
You know, it's like we don't we as a company don't go there wherever
47:51
there happens to be, and uh, you know which which is definitely a
47:55
good thing, because we as people should have boundaries around and around certain things.
48:00
You know, you don't go there with me, you know on this
48:04
you don't go you don't go there, you know whatever. And a company
48:08
is is no less needing of of these boundaries. And I think I think
48:17
the right values can can direct the company for sure, you know, again
48:27
through through in a sense, through boundaries and then many of these many many
48:34
values can actually be freeing. You know, It's like it may sound like
48:40
it's binding you to something, but really within that it gives you ultimate freedom.
48:45
Yes, And and so having the right set of values can can direct
48:54
and free the Yeah, I love that paradox boundaries that you're free and they
49:00
absolutely do. Yeah, because without boundaries, we have no idea what success
49:07
looks like. And so that's that's amazing. Doc uh, doc, see
49:14
what how can core values transform your business? So we're speaking to business owners
49:20
that we're tell you Bill Bill hit on it really well. I mean the
49:27
bottom line is, uh, we're emotional beings and and these core values that
49:32
we're speaking about. The stronger the better, however you want to say it,
49:39
and that you develop these core values because the core values in itself,
49:45
it's it's based on our emotional intelligence. And it's because we're emotional. The
49:52
better they are, the better our company will be, no question, no
49:57
question. And and and I'll just say this us that you know you're going
50:01
to have to have systems in place as well, and if they can run
50:06
parallel to those core values, which makes it even better and makes it even
50:09
stronger. But I think it's built ESTs. It's really tough for us to
50:16
actually determine what's really good for us or what's really bad for us. It's
50:22
those boundaries that you're talking about, and and and sometimes we those boundaries that
50:28
you speak of is we put those boundaries on ourselves and and we need others
50:32
to actually help us get out of those boundaries. And and I think that
50:37
those those values that we're speaking about are so important to that's where the personal
50:43
growth comes in. Yeah, Stacey, Yeah, yes, absolutely, I
50:49
think, uh, the boundaries one, it's that's a whole separate segment as
50:53
well. But Stacey can use share how core values can help transform absolutely so.
51:04
A company's biggest asset is their workforce. And without a strong workforce,
51:10
you cannot create a large, successful company, successful company perent unless you plan
51:15
on being a solo payer. And because we're all human, those core values
51:22
are necessary to guide to set the like again the boundaries, to set the
51:27
expectations, to set all of that in place for the behavior of the company
51:35
along with the systems. I mean, you can have systems, but if
51:37
you don't have the core values, that forget the systems. And so when
51:42
you understand that, and you value that, and you bring in the right
51:45
resources to help you create that strong workforce that involves all of those encompasses,
51:50
all of that. It will take your business to the next level because now
51:53
you can create a well oiled machine and know what to expect from your employees
51:59
and from your staff to be able to get to the next level. You
52:01
can't create a business with a strong business model with chaos. And so again
52:07
that's how you take your business to the next level is get rid of the
52:10
cancer, the mold, the chaos, and create a culture and expectations from
52:17
your staff that will allow you to be able to now take your corporation to
52:22
the next level. So yeah, absolutely, so what I hear is just
52:24
alignment, right and clarity that that's what's going to give you the absolutely ability
52:30
to grow and to transform your business and to expose and thrive. So lastly,
52:37
let's close up, close out with you, David, Like when you
52:39
talked about in terms of uh, the recognition right for of the core values
52:45
and recognizing people when they do exemplify that. So there's a quote, I
52:49
don't know who said it, but behavior that is recognized and rewarded is often
52:53
repeated so sure what you know how core values and when there's total alignment,
53:01
how does that trends? How can that help transform your business? And we'll
53:06
close out for the night. Well, I love that. I actually transformation
53:09
is one of my core values. So as a business, we don't want
53:15
to you know, we don't want to just stay the same, right,
53:19
We want to become something more. We really want to transform ourselves. We
53:22
don't want to just change, but we we embrace change. And so I
53:25
think when we embrace these values, we can see their opportunity for growth.
53:30
And my sentence, if you will, for the transformation value is that we
53:36
are adaptable and resilient, and that way we continuously seek ways to transform challenges
53:43
into opportunities for innovation and improvement. A gun company can improve, it can
53:46
innovate. If you're not innovating, if you're not really transforming yourself, we
53:51
all know you will not be a business for long. In this world,
53:54
it's ever changing, there's always dynamics. So you have to make sure those
53:59
values can sustain you through all those ups and downs and keep you going.
54:05
And truly I love what you both you and Stacy we're talking about. I
54:07
love the idea of transformation, meaning who I am today, what I am
54:12
today is going to be different in you know, a year from now,
54:16
and anybody that's a small business owner, I'm you know, doing it,
54:20
tell me about this, like right, you guys know, three three months,
54:22
six months from now, it's like a totally different place. It's like
54:24
a whole nother generation, another generation. So if you're a small business and
54:29
you're gonna see a lot of that now as your bigger businesses, it doesn't
54:30
change as much, but you still should be transforming at all times. This
54:35
is part of the business cycle, the life of a business. So absolutely
54:38
thanks thanks Charlie for let me share on that anytime. All right, Well,
54:44
thank you lady and gentlemen for this amazing, just passionate session that we
54:52
have here. I think we're so fired up talking about a different you know,
54:57
different angles when it comes to core values. So can't wait to go
55:00
out and implement some of the ideas that I got here. Thank you all
55:05
so much for your insights and experience. Have a great night, everybody.
55:08
Thanks everybody, a good night, everybody, take care. Thanks everybody.