| At its core, every business -- and career -- is about | | | | customers as necessary to keep them happy and |
| providing value to others, whether that's to internal | | | | coming back for more. |
| corporate colleagues, customers or clients. Since | | | | In a move rivaled only by Macy's sending shoppers to |
| you're reading this book, odds are that you're | | | | Gimbels in the holiday movie Miracle on 34th Street, |
| successful, motivated, but stuck in at least one aspect | | | | when a customer calls Zappos and discovers the |
| of your life. Now that we've examined your finances, | | | | shoes they want are out of stock, the customer |
| health and relationships, let's take an up-close and | | | | loyalty associate will check up to three other websites |
| personal look at the professional you, to see how well | | | | to see if they can locate the shoes for their customer |
| your career is serving you while you're serving others. | | | | elsewhere. As Tony says, it's not about the sale, it's |
| Tony Hsieh (pronounced shay), CEO of online shoe | | | | about the long-term relationship. It's obviously working |
| giant Zappos.com, contends that Zappos isn't really in | | | | since, on any given day, about 75% of Zappos |
| the shoe business. He says they're in the customer | | | | shoppers are return customers. Way to walk your |
| service business and just happen to sell shoes. He | | | | core values talk. In your brand new shoes, of course! |
| wasn't always sold on the concept, however. When | | | | RISK-TAKER'S TOOL: Creating Core Values for Your |
| he first received a voicemail from a young | | | | WOW Career |
| entrepreneur pitching the idea, Tony nearly deleted it. | | | | As you've just seen, the Zappos team takes their |
| As far as he was concerned, selling shoes online | | | | core values very seriously, albeit with some fun and a |
| sounded like the poster child of bad Internet ideas. Until | | | | little weirdness (core value #3). If you want to see for |
| he learned that, even back then, the shoe biz was a | | | | yourself, just call their toll free number, 1-800-927-7671. |
| $40 billion industry and five percent of sales were | | | | Unlike many online companies, you can readily find their |
| already being done through mail order catalogues. | | | | phone number on the website because they actually |
| Now, after nearly a decade in business and a billion | | | | like talking to you. If you do call, you're likely to |
| dollars in gross merchandising sales, Tony's changed | | | | experience values # 1, 3, 9 and 10 in action. Each value |
| his tune. | | | | will be filtered through their individual personalities, of |
| I asked Tony what made Zappos so successful in | | | | course, since employees are encouraged to be |
| such a short period of time. (Incidentally, he sold his first | | | | themselves. |
| company to Microsoft for $265 million at the tender | | | | RISK-TAKER'S TIP: Tiane Mitchell Gordon, director of |
| age of 24, so he knows a thing or two about | | | | inclusion and diversity for AOL believes that each of |
| success.) Tony told me that he and his team had put a | | | | us should bring our authentic personality to work. As |
| great deal of emphasis on getting the culture right. If | | | | she puts it, the workplace is no longer a melting pot |
| they established the right kind of corporate culture, he | | | | where all the ingredients meld together. Rather, it's |
| was convinced, everything else would fall into place. | | | | more of a gumbo where tastes and spice notes blend, |
| That everything else included creating what the | | | | yet retain their unique flavors. So don't be afraid to |
| Zappos crew now calls delivering a WOW through | | | | bring your spicy self to work! |
| service. It takes a lot of work to get to wow, however, | | | | Tony thinks that any company can benefit from taking |
| including strategic hiring practices, top-notch training | | | | the time to create a slate of core values, especially if |
| systems and a foundation of meaningful core values. | | | | they're as genuine and specific as Zappos' are. So let's |
| According to Tony, developing a list of core values | | | | take a cue from their success by drafting your list of |
| against which performance, skills and attitude could be | | | | values. Though you may work for a company that has |
| actively assessed has been critical in building both the | | | | a mission or value statement of its own, that's not |
| business and the culture of Zappos. Although creating | | | | what we're looking for here. I want you to create core |
| corporate values statements often means give | | | | values for you as a professional. Not just for a job or |
| lip-service to lofty goals barely fit for a wall plaque, | | | | a company, but for your very own wow career. |
| Tony's team determined that Zappos' values would be | | | | Take a moment to reflect on your work life, looking |
| simple, useful and authentic. See how well they did | | | | back at some high and low points you've experienced |
| below: | | | | over the years. Now imagine letting go of the lows and |
| -The Ten Core Values of -Deliver WOW through | | | | focusing on the highs. Take a few deep breaths and |
| service | | | | conjure up a vision of the career you really crave. A |
| -Embrace and drive change | | | | career that puts your skills, passions, strengths, |
| -Create fun and a little weirdness | | | | temperament and personality to work. A career that |
| -Be adventurous, creative and open-minded | | | | includes just the right balance of people, projects and |
| -Pursue growth and learning | | | | environment you need to flourish. It doesn't matter if |
| -Build open and honest relationships with | | | | you see yourself as the owner of a one-person |
| communication | | | | dog-walking service or part of a mega-corporation. |
| -Build a positive team and family spirit | | | | What's important is, well, what's important to you. |
| -Do more with less | | | | Before we get started on your list, take a look at the |
| -Be passionate and determined | | | | following and see if any of these values describe your |
| -Be humble | | | | career core values. Don't worry if you're not |
| One of the most interesting things about that list, | | | | experiencing each stated value on the job right now. I |
| besides the fact that it is totally devoid of | | | | just want you to be able to identify the values that are |
| corporate-speak, is how relevant it is in determining | | | | important to you overall. Later, you'll determine how to |
| and sustaining basic priorities. Those values enter into | | | | present those values are in your current work situation. |
| practically every daily activity that happens within the | | | | Then, we'll look at some ways you can either infuse |
| organization from handling sales calls to recruiting new | | | | more of them into your work or use them to decide if |
| hires. | | | | it's time to look for your next career opportunity. |
| Let me give you an example. If a prospective hire is | | | | -Be authentic, real and respectful |
| going through the interview process, the hiring business | | | | -Give great value to our customers |
| unit and the HR team consider every single value to | | | | -Help people learn and grow |
| determine if the candidate is truly a fit for both skills | | | | -Collaborate and communicate as a team |
| and culture. Even if an interviewee possesses great | | | | -Take risks and innovate |
| talent and would undoubtedly bring monetary value to | | | | -Be open to change and growth |
| the company, if the team finds him arrogant -- that is, | | | | -Build robust relationships |
| not humble -- he's not offered the job. Likewise, when | | | | -Be creative and resourceful |
| Zappos employees are assessed through | | | | -Laugh and have fun |
| performance appraisals, they are evaluated against | | | | -Care for friends, family and community |
| core values which they're not only aware of, but they | | | | By the way, the list above represents my core values |
| also helped create in the first place. Though it may not | | | | of the things that are most important to me |
| always be easy to adhere to their high standards, | | | | professionally. You're welcome to borrow from it or |
| they've found that their list of core values provides the | | | | use it as a basis for creating a list of what you care |
| litmus test by which all things can be measured. | | | | deeply about in your profession. Now, write out your |
| Employee training also gets the core values treatment. | | | | core values list, which should include about 6 -10 items. |
| New hires at every level go through a four-week | | | | Make sure you've got enough on your list to cover |
| training period, two weeks of which are spent | | | | your career bases, but not so much that you lose your |
| answering calls with the customer loyalty team, as | | | | focus or end up trying to be all things to all people. |
| their call center is known. After the first week and until | | | | Sit with your values list for a day or so. If you have |
| the end of the training period, every trainee is given the | | | | trusted allies on your team (Liberators only, please), |
| option to leave with pay for time worked plus a $2,000 | | | | ask for their feedback. Does your list of core values |
| bonus. That's right, a bonus to walk away! It's Zappos' | | | | truly seem authentic to who you are at the deepest |
| unique way of weeding out people who aren't a | | | | level? Does it reflect what you care about? Does it |
| long-term fit. Surprisingly (or maybe not), less than 1% | | | | encompass the value you bring to your work? Does it |
| percent of people walked last year. Tony considers | | | | honor your strengths, skills and passions? If necessary, |
| the exit package a great investment in making sure | | | | make any tweaks or revisions. |
| that only the right people -- that is, those who are truly | | | | Now post your core values list proudly where you can |
| committed to customer service -- stick around. | | | | reflect upon it often. Remember it's not meant to be a |
| Though not as easy as it sounds, getting the culture | | | | laminated plaque on your wall. It's a living document that |
| right and letting everything else fall into place seems to | | | | should inform all your choices and actions -- especially |
| be working. Zappos has created their wow brand of | | | | the tough ones. As you return to your values list (often, |
| service with some fairly unusual practices, including | | | | by the way) try to think of recent decisions or events |
| paying for shipping on deliveries and returns, taking | | | | in your life that directly correlate to the values that |
| orders 365 days a year, and encouraging the sales | | | | you've listed. |
| team to take as much time on the phone with | | | | |