Our Culture

Our DNA; The Foundation of Our Unique Culture

These core values are the foundation of our unique culture. The 30 "Fundamentals" that make up Our DNA are the building blocks that outline how we work with our customers, our partners, and each other. These Fundamentals describe who we are, and they're what drive our extraordinary success. Our DNA is what makes us, us. Each week we celebrate one of these fundamentals and share together as a team what it means to us.

Do the right thing, always. Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and in every decision you make, especially when no one's looking. Always tell the truth, no matter the consequences. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right.

When in doubt, communicate personally. Whenever possible and whether it be to a teammate, a customer, or a vendor partner, speak "live" versus hiding behind e-mail – especially with difficult or complex messages, or in emotionally charged situations. Where appropriate, follow-up in writing to confirm your understanding. If you can, go. If you can't go, call. If you can't call, write.

Make quality personal. Pay attention to the details and don't cut corners. Be passionate about excellence and take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do. Don't accept mediocrity. If you see work that is not quality, stop and correct it or communicate it. Good is not good enough. Always ask yourself, "Is this my best work?"

Be relentless about improvement. Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your work to find ways to improve, even if it's a just a small improvement. Don't be satisfied with the status quo. "Because we've always done it that way" is not a reason. Don't allow complacency to creep in. Find ways to get things done better, faster, and more efficiently. Speak up and share your ideas. LEAN everything!

Work on yourself. Be a lifelong learner. Seek out and take advantage of every opportunity to gain more knowledge, to receive feedback from others, to increase your skills, and to become a greater expert. Build your brand – and make it a great one!

Run to the problem. Problems, conflicts, and mistakes don't define us – how we handle them does. Our best chance to "wow" and prove why a customer chose us is when they are upset and frustrated. Seize the moment and attack the problem. The bigger the problem, the greater our chance to show them what we're made of.

Practice blameless problem-solving. Demonstrate a relentless focus on solutions, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Attack the problem, not the person. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve ourselves and our processes so we don't make the same mistake twice. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.

Assume positive intent. Work from the assumption that people are good, fair, and honest, and that the intent behind their actions is positive. Set aside your own judgments and preconceived notions. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

"Bring it" every day. Be passionate and be fully engaged. Make the most of each day by approaching every task with energy, focus, purpose, and enthusiasm. Your attitude is contagious. Spread optimism and positive energy and practice gratitude.

Find a way. Take personal responsibility for making things happen. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it, rather than explaining why it can't be done. Be resourceful and show initiative. Don't make excuses or wait for others to solve the problem. See issues through to their completion. See it. Own it. Fix it.

Be a fanatic about response time. Respond to questions and concerns quickly, whether it's in person, on the phone, or by e-mail. This includes simply acknowledging that we got the question and we're "on it," as well as keeping those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues. Don't let the sun go down without a response!

Honor commitments. Do what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it. This includes being on time for all phone calls, appointments, meetings, and promises. If a commitment can't be fulfilled, notify others early and agree on a new deliverable to be honored.

Listen genuinely. Listening is more than simply "not speaking." Give others your undivided attention. Be open, present, and engaged. Minimize the distractions and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Suspend your judgment and be curious to know more, rather than jumping to conclusions. Above all, seek to understand.

Speak straight. Speak honestly in a way that helps to make progress. Say what you mean, and be willing to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when it's necessary for team success. Be courageous enough to say what needs to be said with respect. Address issues directly and timely with those who are involved or affected.

Get clear on expectations. Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you're not clear on what they expect of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates.

Be curious. In the search for the best solutions and to understand the big picture – get all the facts. Challenge and question what you don't understand. Don't accept anything at "face value" if it doesn't make sense to you. Be curious, ask thoughtful questions, and listen intently to the answers. Dig deeper to go beyond the expected. Always ask why.

Share information. With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information freely throughout our organization – the good and the bad. When the right people have the right information, we can collaborate better. Learn to ask yourself, "Who else needs to know this?"

Show meaningful appreciation. Celebrate others' successes and their unique contributions. Recognize people doing things right rather than pointing out when they do things wrong. Regularly extend meaningful acknowledgment and appreciation — in all directions throughout our organization.

Make a difference. Be an active part of our community. Give back by contributing your time, effort, and resources to make our community better. Every little bit matters. You can and do make a difference.

Treat everyone and everything with respect. Treat others in a way that honors their self-worth and respects their value as unique individuals, regardless of their background, appearance, or beliefs. Act with kindness, compassion, and patience. Treat the worksite, our workplace, and the environment as if it were your own.

Think and act like an owner. Make decisions by asking yourself, "What would I do if this were my company? What would I do if this were my own money? Will this help the company to succeed?"

Respect the process. Create and maintain systems and processes that are scalable and that support our ability to perform with consistency. Strong processes are the foundation of organizational effectiveness.

Embrace change and growth. What got us here is not the same as what will get us to the next level. Get outside your comfort zone, rather than stubbornly hanging on to old ways of doing things. Be excited by the possibilities that change and growth can bring. Be flexible, adaptable, and open minded.

Build strong relationships. Get to know your customers and co-workers on a more personal level. Talk more and e-mail less. Understand what makes others tick and what's important to them. Strong relationships enable us to successfully work through difficult issues and challenging times. Treat people like loved family members.

Lead by example. Walk the talk. Take responsibility to help, guide, teach, and mentor others. Don't be afraid to ask for help as well. Nothing is beneath any of us. The best way to influence others is through your own example!

Be a great teammate. Don't let your own ego or personal agenda get in the way of doing what's best for the team. Sometimes that means leading, and other times it means allowing others to take the lead. Be there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that's what's required for success. Help each other to succeed.

Deliver legendary service. It's all about the experience. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. With every experience, go the extra mile and do the little things, as well as the big things, that surprise people. Make every interaction stand out for its helpfulness.  Create the "WOW" factor that turns customers into raving fans. Deliver habitual greatness, not accidental greatness. This includes both internal and external customers.

Treasure, protect, and promote our reputation. We're all responsible for, and benefit from, the company's image and reputation. Consider how your actions affect our collective reputation and be a proud ambassador for the company.

Deliver results. While effort is important, our customers expect results. Follow-up on everything and take responsibility to ensure that tasks get completed. Set high goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results.

Keep things fun. Laugh every day. Keep perspective and don't take things personally or take yourself too seriously.  Make someone smile!