The 30 Fundamental Behaviors that Make Us What We Are

  1. Practice Blameless Problem Solving: Apply your creativity, spirit and enthusiasm to developing solutions, rather than pointing fingers and dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve our processes so we don’t make the same mistakes again. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.
  2. Bring and re-bring issues to the Table: We’re constantly evolving and changing. The problem that may not have been solvable a month ago may be solvable today.  Do not tolerate inefficient processes under any circumstance. Internally, “That’s just how it is” …isn’t good enough.
  3. Get Here: In sports, the players don’t just show up at the opening kick-off. They’re there, and they’re ready to play when the whistle blows. A team doesn’t run very well when all the players aren’t playing. Be here when you’re expected to be here. Don’t leave your teammates hanging. 
  4. Be Here: You are more than your physical presence. Bring your whole self to your work. Be present, and completely immerse yourself in your work.
Man working near a table

5. Own It: Take personal responsibility for making things happen – somehow, someway. 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 wait for others to solve the problem.
6. Keep it Clean: Clean as you go. Put things away after you use them. Change the toilet paper roll. Maintain a clean and orderly work area. Clean up common areas if you see they need to be cleaned.
7. Share your Struggle: If something looks or feels wrong, bring it up. Everyone makes mistakes. Whether they’re senior to you, more experienced than you, or world famous practitioners, they’re still prone to oversights and omissions. Don’t assume that because something made it to you, that it belongs there.
8. Be a Fanatic About Response Time: People expect us to respond to their questions and concerns quickly. Keep all those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues. Getting back to people promptly is one way to demonstrate our passion for excellence.
9. Do What’s Right for the Customer: In all situations, do what’s best for the customer. There’s no greater way to build a reputation than to do what’s right for others. Every day and in every way.
10. Make Quality Personal: Take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?”

Man working with a machine

11. Deliver Legendary Customer Service: Do the little things as well as the big things that blow people away. Create extraordinary experiences they’ll tell others about. Mere customer satisfaction is for lesser companies. We want customer elation.

12. Think Team First: It’s not about you. Don’t let your ego or personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. Worrying about who gets credit or taking things personally is counterproductive. Make sure every decision is solely based on what’s best for advancing Chadwick Optical.

13. Honor Commitments: There’s no better way to earn people’s trust than to be true to your word. 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. Allow extra time for surprises and delays, and don’t let these become excuses.

14. Get Clear on Expectations: Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations up front. Establish mutually understood objectives and deadlines for all projects, issues and commitments. Where appropriate, confirm your communication by asking others to repeat back their understanding to ensure total clarity and agreement.

15. Listen Generously: Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Be present and engaged. Quiet the noise in your head and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Create space for team members to express themselves without judgment. Listen with care and with empathy. Above all, listen to understand.

16. Redefine the Problem: If the answer to a question is no, look for other ways to ask the question that could get you to a yes. Look beyond the question in front of you, and drill down to the problem we’re really trying to solve.

17. Speak Straight: Speak honestly in a way that moves the action forward. Make clear and direct requests. Say what you mean, and be willing to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when necessary for team success. Address issues with those who are involved or affected. 

18. Communicate to Be Understood: Know your audience. Write and speak in a way that they can understand. Avoid using internal lingo, acronyms, and industry jargon. Use the simplest possible explanations. 

19. Go the Extra Mile: Be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job…plus a little bit more. Take the next step to solve the problem. Even if it takes doing something that’s not in your job description, it’s the extra mile that separates the average person from the superstar. Be a superstar.

20. Create Win/Win Situations: It’s a 2 way street. Learn to think from others’ perspective. Discover what they need and find a way to help them meet those needs while also fulfilling your own. Win/win solutions are always more effective and longer lasting than win/lose situations.

21. Share Information: With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information freely. Learn to ask yourself, “Who else needs to know this?” Information is one of our greatest assets. Find it, share it, and use it.

22. Deliver Results: While effort is appreciated, we reward and celebrate results. Set high goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results.

23. Look Ahead and Anticipate: Solve problems before they happen by anticipating future needs and addressing them in advance. Preventing issues is always more effective than fixing them.

24. Be Process Oriented: World-class organizations are built on a foundation of highly effective, repeatable processes. Look to create processes for every aspect of your work, and then turn those processes into habits to achieve consistent results.

25. Always Ask Why: Don’t accept anything at “face value” if it doesn’t make sense to you. Be curious and question what you don’t understand. Healthy, vigorous debate creates better solutions. There’s no better question than “Why?” Never stop asking it.

26. Get the Facts Before You React: When faced with a dilemma, don’t make assumptions. There’s always more to the story than it first appears. Gather the facts before making snap judgments. Be curious about what other information might give you a more complete picture.

27. Be Relentless About Improvement: Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Keep getting better.

28. Assume Positive Intent: Work from the assumption that people are good, fair, 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.

29. Walk in Other’s Shoes: Understand others and know their challenges and frustrations. See the world from their perspective. The better you understand them, the more effectively you can anticipate, meet, and exceed their needs

30. Give More Than You Take: Your efforts are the bricks that build a world class company. Give your energies, ideas, and creativity generously, and trust that you’ll reap the benefits. If you’re looking at everything from a perspective of “what’s in it for me?” you’re taking bricks away and dismantling the company.