I recently traveled to Alaska, a trip of discovery, learning, and lots of family fun. One of the areas of learning was about the Southeast Alaskan Tribes. The Tlingit and Haida Tribes made a point of providing information to educate and enlighten us about their heritage and culture.
One of the topics shared with me was about their 14 traditional tribal values. The members of these tribes are expected to integrate these values into their daily lives. What struck me was not only the values, but the use of them to guide people’s daily lives.
As business owners, we get so busy and caught up in tasks, reading this list of values made me stop and think about my own values, and do I live them every day? Looking back on the times I have failed, it is clear that when I did not uphold my values, I did not get the results I wanted.
Here are some of the Tribal Values and how we can live them in our businesses.
Respect for Self, Elders and Others; Respect for Nature and Property
I often hear business owners talk about their deficits before they acknowledge their strengths. Self-respect is central to building your business and your team. If you do not believe in yourself and what you are doing you cannot expect respect from others. That same respect is due to the people around you – employees, team members, vendors, and customers. Paying attention to the environment is everyone’s responsibility. Taking care of your property is showing respect to the property and to the people using it.
Patience
This is a value that many people struggle with – we want results and we want them now! Building a business takes time and effort. Training a new employee takes time and effort. Marketing campaigns do not work overnight. Being patient is not easy; however, the results are always worth it.
Listen Well and with Respect
Remember what your kindergarten teacher told you. Listening only works when your mouth is closed and your ears are open. Take the time to listen carefully to your team and your customers. You will be amazed at what you will learn.
Speak with Care
Words matter. How you say them matters. In a social media world what you say spreads easily, so choose your words carefully. Pause before you respond, whether that is in person, over a chat or in an email. Be sure you are speaking with Respect for Self, Elders and Others.
Be Strong in Mind, Body and Spirit
Taking care of yourself is paramount to success in any endeavor. It’s easy to say that you are too busy for exercise or to cook. The reality is that you cannot be effective if you are ill, injured or sleep deprived. If you need help with your health, ask for it. Respect yourself enough to take care of yourself so you can take care of your business and family.
Humor
There should be joy and laughter in your life and your business. We tell our clients that if you are not having fun, you are doing it wrong. Humor helps us maintain a positive outlook on life and laughter makes us feel good.
Hold Each Other Up
We are part of a community and it is up to each of us to do our part to build better businesses, better jobs, and a better world. We can’t do it alone. We need to help each other and know when we need to ask for help. Holding each other up means providing great products and service to our customers, creating good jobs for people and giving back to our community in whatever way we can.
Be Strong and Have Courage
As leaders we are constantly faced with decisions and challenges. There can be a lot of uncertainty, and as the owner you need to take risks. Staying strong and continuing to move forward is necessary to grow yourself and your business.
There are several other values, please see https://www.ccthita.org/about/values/index.html for the complete list. I hope that I have inspired you to create your own list of values that you can exemplify in your business. Having strong values and being true to them is a cornerstone of the success that you can have in your business.
Author: Sandy Merritt, Business Coach in Louisville, KY