We’ve always believed that forming a strategy is impossible until your clear on what your values and principles are. Without values and principles to guide you, making decisions can seem impossibly difficult. Given how important setting values and principles is to decision making we asked folks we admire to tell us about the values or principles that matter most to them.

Jo Ikigai | Creative & Advocate

The value or principle that matters to me most is respect. Through respect of all things, living and not, we are able to cultivate meaningful and healthy relationships. Respect is at the core of so many other key principles. To value consent, one must respect people, their space, their things, and the boundaries they set around them. To truly love someone, one must respect them first, and show that respect of their individuality, likes, and interests through loving them in way that’s tailored to them. There are so many instances where if basic respect was present, the situation could be navigated gracefully. Read more>>

Destinee Franklin | Serial Entrepreneur, Hair Stylist, Caterer

Integrity is a value that matters most to me. Integrity is what makes you stand apart on a personal and professional level. It establishes a level of trust amongst your peers and colleagues. This value can take you further than any amount of money. I believe a business with integrity lasts longer than one that doesn’t include that in it’s principles. Read more>>

Erika Chestnut | Leadership & Career Coach

Several years ago, I served as the Head of Quality at Calendly, and it was there that I experienced something truly unique. From the moment I joined, I noticed how deeply the team was guided by their core values. This wasn’t just a list on a website or a checkbox during annual performance reviews; the people at Calendly lived and breathed these principles every day. More importantly, they used those values to hold leadership accountable. It was the first time I saw values like Start with Human move beyond corporate platitudes to become a living framework for how the organization showed up for its people, its customers, and each other. Read more>>