YFS Magazine (Young, Fabulous and Self-employed) ran an article not too long ago on “100 Core Values from 15 Winning Companies.” They looked at a range of companies, including Zappos, Toms Shoes, Whole Foods, Accenture, Teach for America, Rackspace, A Weber, Barnes & Noble, Google, American Express, Four Season Hotels & Resorts, CarMax, Salesforce.com, Boston Consulting Group, and Quicken Loans.

But it is important for the alignment between values and action to go beyond individual performers. Banks suggests that companies borrow from the U.S. Army, which routinely conducts what it calls “climate surveys”—assessments that examine just how well individual behavior in aggregate reflects the organization’s core values. When a company hits a bump in the road however, is when it's most important to stand by what you believe at your core. Teach the values through orientation/training. It's unrealistic to simply send. As a leader, you need to be clear and committed to a set of core values that are reflective of the best your organization can be; you need a series of rituals, small and large, the reinforce the expression of those values; the values must “travel well” through effective formal and informal storytelling; and you must enforce the consequences. Think about this. The core values of your business will flow from what is important to you personally, and they likely will be influenced by what you did or didn’t like in your previous life as a traditional employee. Ideally, you set these values at the outset of creating your.

Sorting the 100 core values by theme, rather than by organization, interesting trends began to emerge. These 15 high-performance companies–across various industries–certainly aim to deliver a whole lot more than profit.

The following list is presented in order of the frequency with which the value was mentioned (the number reflects the instances in which that concept was listed).

• Social Responsibility (16)
• Customer Service (15)
• Respect (8)
• Team (8)
• Quality (6)
• Learning (6)
• Integrity (4)
• Fun (4)
• Communication (3)
• Partnerships (3)
• Diversity (3)
• Change (2)
• Creativity (2)
• Leadership (2)
• Passion (2)

A group at Stanford Graduate School of Business took another stab at determining which core values matter most, by asking alumni “What values are important to you in business?” Key themes emerging from their interviews included, treating others the way you want to be treated (Respect), Integrity, Open and honest communication, Trust, Appreciation, Honesty, Passion, Transparency, and Making a difference.

With Social Responsibility and Customer Service topping the list, it is impressive to see companies looking outside themselves.

Several tools can help your group discuss and promote your organization’s core values:

1) The Values Game: Discuss personal values and group norms.

This game is an aid to reaching consensus in groups, teams or organizations, on the values and norms that you all consider to be important. By using and prioritizing these cards, people not only become more aware of what they value, but also get to appreciate other people’s perspectives.

This 140-card game includes 63 “Values” cards; 38 “Group Norms” (the rules that dictate what kind of behavior is good or bad); and 39 “Subjects” cards that will help make your discussion more concrete.

1. Values: A value is something that you find important to aspire to, that directs your actions. Some examples are: servitude, respect and justice.

2. Subjects: These are used to narrow down the discussion on values, to make it even more concrete. For example: management, education, media and politics.

Your Company Can Reflect Your Core Values Must

3. Group norms: These are the rules that dictate what kind of behavior is good or bad, wished for or unwanted, allowed or forbidden in groups and teams. For example: ‘you must always speak the truth’ or ‘knowledge must be shared with others’.

2) i noticed… Pads: recognize efforts to implement core values

Sometimes GREAT work happens in small ways. Let people know you’ve noticed the big and small efforts they make each day to contribute to your organization, promote its mission, and create positivity.

Your Company Can Reflect Your Core Values Include

Use carbonless Kudos to give recognition and keep a record of it! Each time you send someone a note of appreciation, you’ll have a duplicate to keep in your file — or pass on to a manager or mentor who might want to know about your hero’s achievements.

Each page is printed with: “I noticed… you took our values to heart”. Check off the appropriate boxes and include your own “from the heart” message. Set includes 3 pads; each pad is 4.25″ x 5.5″ and has 50 2-part carbonless sets.

3) Positivity Pack: include a strong message about values when onboarding new employees

Send the message that you mean business when it comes to creating a positive corporate culture or learning environment.

Give each colleague a “Positivity Pack” with eight key icons that reflect your organization’s values and personality:

Your Company Can Reflect Your Core Values Of One

• Team guys: support and respect the team
• Smile Ball: Make customers happy!
• Mini-Sneaker: go the extra mile to improve quality
• Learning Mo-Mints: keep growing and learning
• Party Blowout: have fun (Fun)
• Stretchy String: be flexible and open to change
• Mirror Ball: embrace diverse perspectives
• Crayons: express your creativity