I usually don’t reblog anything but sometimes I come across something that is so on point that there’s no need for me to say it any other way. The following about core values is from the United States government National Park Service training website:

What are Core Values?

The core values of an organization are those values we hold which form the foundation on which we perform work and conduct ourselves. We have an entire universe of values, but some of them are so primary, so important to us that through out the changes in society, government, politics, and technology they are STILL the core values we will abide by.

In an ever-changing world, core values are constant. Core values are not descriptions of the work we do or the strategies we employ to accomplish our mission. The values underlie our work, how interact with each other, and which strategies we employ to fulfill our mission. The core values are the basic elements of how we go about our work. They are the practices we use (or should be using) every day in everything we do.

CORE VALUES:

• Govern personal relationships
• Guide business processes
• Clarify who we are
• Articulate what we stand for
• Help explain why we do business the way we do
• Guide us on how to teach
• Inform us on how to reward
• Guide us in making decisions
• Underpin the whole organization
• Require no external justification
• Essential tenets

CORE VALUES ARE NOT:

• Operating practices
• Business strategies
• Cultural norms
• Competencies
• Changed in response to market/ administration changes
• Used individually

By Way of Comparison

By way of comparison, here are examples of Core Values identified by other organizations.

DISNEY – to make people happy.

• Nurture and promulgate wholesome American values.
• Creativity, Dream, Imagination.
• Preservation and control of the Disney magic.
• Absolute, meticulous attention to detail

MERCK – to preserve and improve human life.

• Corporate social responsibility.
• Unequivocal excellence in all aspects of the company.
• Science-based innovation.
• Honesty and integrity.
• Profit – from work that benefits humanity.

SONY – to experience the joy of advancing and applying technology for the benefit of the public.

• Elevation of Japanese culture and national status.
• Being a pioneer, not following others, doing the impossible.
• Encouraging individual ability and creativitiy.

U.S. ARMY

• Courage – Face fear, danger or adversity.
• Duty – Fulfill your obligations.
• Honor – Live up to all Army values.
• Integrity – Do what’s right, legally and morally.
• Loyalty – Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other soldiers.
• Respect – Treat people as they should be treated.
• Service – Put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.

Our Core Values are a statement of the framework in which we accomplish our Mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, we pursue our mission. When we are challenged in fulfilling our mission, our Core Values sustain us and guide us in meeting the challenge. - National Leadership Council, 2001