Our brand new daughter-in-law, Emily, is the founder and owner of a jewelry business called Consider the Wldflwrs. This weekend we had the rehearsal dinner for the wedding at her studio and shop in Nashville, Tennessee. As we were setting up and getting ready I noticed a piece of newsprint on the wall that listed the eleven core values of her business.

I was struck by their creativity, morals, and excellence. I’d be happy to shop at a place that has values like these and exhibits them in their work and business interactions:

1. Positive, servant-hearted team members
2. Dependable and reliable
3. Quality products, photos, and storefront
4. Righteous living
5. Professional (expert guidance, qualified)
6. Surprise “WOW” element
7. Vehicle for opportunity
8. Self-employed mentality
9. No gossip
10. We do work unto the Lord
11. Excellence in the ordinary

What about you in your daily life and work? Do you:

1. Have a positive, servant heart headed into work? If not, it’s either time to change your attitude or change your job.
2. Find yourself being dependable and reliable? If not, try to step it up and make it happen. Your employer deserves it.
3. Produce quality work? If not, what can you do to make it better?
4. Exhibit righteous living? We are both sinners and saints. But the more we immerse ourselves in the Bible and the things of faith the more we live outwardly righteous lives.
5. Carry yourself professionally? Believing you are a professional is a big step toward really being one.
6. Surprise people with a WOW element in your work? If not, brainstorm some ideas to do that. Under promise and over-deliver.
7. Keep your eyes open for opportunity? If not, where do you see a chance for opportunity to grow as an individual or as a business today?
8. Work as though you’re working for yourself? When you do so the quality and quantity of your work goes up, whether you are an entrepreneur or work for a big company.
9. Gossip? Don’t.
10. Do your work unto the Lord? After all, He’s the one who deserves our best day in and day out.
11. Create excellence in the ordinary? If not, how can you produce something excellent that on any other given day seems so ordinary?

It seems to me that following these core values will set an incredibly positive tone for your work and life. Give it a try today and let me know what insights you find when you do.

What are your core values?