Our Values
The Business Excellence Institute is built on the values outlined here. They are not just words – they are the foundation that determines what we do and how we do it. They are also the values that we promote.
Integrity & honesty
These are the two sides of our value system’s cornerstone. They are fundamental requirements. However, it is not enough just to be honest and to have integrity, one must be able to demonstrate it as well – this requires good governance and transparency.
Authenticity
This is what gives us credibility and empowers us as leaders both within our own organization and as champions of business excellence and best practice.
Ownership
This is about taking responsibility, accountability and pride in what we do. It provides clear and transparent accountability and facilitates excellence since it means everybody is responsible for the quality of their work. It is also about matching responsibility with authority, which informs organizational structure. This – combined with respect – helps avoid issues with blame which is something that adds no value.
Passion
We put our hearts into it. It’s as simple as that – we are passionate about excellence and believe that the best way to work is to enjoy what you’re doing. We are also passionate about wanting to help our members and customers (since we know that this is the best way for us to thrive) and we want people to love the work we do for them. Emotional terms but ones we believe are important for sustainable excellence.
Learning
In addition to having an appetite for new information and ideas, this includes creativity, innovation and a willingness to seek out and accept feedback. It also involves the ongoing identification and verification of assumptions and continually striving to improve both as individuals and as a team.
Respect
This starts with respect of other people, ideas, opinions and cultures, which enables diversity of teams and thought, facilitates teamwork, and – when combined with authenticity – results in open communication. It also includes respect for property, time, and resources and so it underpins the drive for efficiencies.
Excellence
We strive for excellence in everything we do, understanding that excellence is not perfection but the optimal balance of conflicting requirements to ensure the best possible outcomes for all involved. It also requires humility, as arrogance is a barrier to learning and respect for others that undermines excellence. We are reminded that most of the world’s biggest and most successful organizations have died and that what is good enough today is not good enough tomorrow as our customers’ needs evolve.
On Values
“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”
Dwight Eisenhower
“We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly.”
Aristotle
“To see what is right and not do it is to lack courage.”
Confucius, The Analects ii.24