Core Values

One of my favorite parts of the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony was the metal band Gojira performing “Ça Ira” in front of the Conciergerie among a multitude of headless aristocrats. The performance was full of historical richness, from its location, the actual prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her beheading, to the song, popular during the French Revolution. 

It was an unapologetic homage to one of France’s core values, liberty, but it was also gory and reminisced upon one of the bloodiest periods in the country's history.

Indeed, many commentators were calling it in bad taste. 

But this is part of why I loved it.

BEING HONEST ABOUT YOUR CORE VALUES MEANS EMBRACING THEM.

Celebrating them. 

For too many organizations, values are four or five positive attributes that were developed by a consultant and focus-tested before they were unveiled. 

Good core values are those that can be demonstrated and reinforced; values that people in the organization can defend with real examples of how they guided decisions or behaviors when the organization was challenged.  

In Paris last night, the French Olympic organizers pointed to a headless Marie Antoinette and said, “See, we are not messing around about this Liberty thing.” 

Now that’s a core value.