1. Do the right thing.

Integrity is not about convenience. It’s an unwavering commitment to do the right thing in every action we take and in every decision we make, even when no one’s looking. Ask yourself, “Will I be proud of the decision I’m about to make?” We take a long-term view of success. Trust takes years to build, but, can be lost in an instant. Make decisions that build strong, trusting relationships.

2. Make A+ your personal standard.

Take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do, for excellence matters as a deeply personal value in and of itself, well beyond the business impact of that excellence. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” Your work is a personal statement bearing your signature. Sign in bold ink.

3. Check your ego at the door.

Our own egos and personal agendas must never get in the way of doing what’s best for Webco. Don’t take challenge personally or defensively. Being concerned with who gets credit, who looks good, or who looks bad is counterproductive. Make sure every decision is based solely on what will best advance our team goals.

4. Be resourceful and find a way to make it happen.

Start by looking for how we can do it, rather than rationalizing why it can’t be done. Customers don’t care about our policies or procedures, nor are they interested in our excuses. Be an active participant in finding solutions. You have the ability to solve even the most challenging problems. Use your creativity. Take ownership, and see that it gets done – somehow, someway.

5. Demonstrate your customer focus through response time and follow up.

Our customers expect us to respond to their questions and concerns quickly. Whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by e-mail, be a fanatic about response time. Keep customers, including your internal ones, continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues. Getting back to people promptly is one way to demonstrate your passion for quality.

6. Work with a sense of urgency to get things done.

Make the most of each day by approaching every task with energy, focus, purpose, and enthusiasm. Don’t put off till tomorrow what can be completed today.

7. Be performance driven.

We appreciate effort, but we reward and celebrate results. Set challenging goals, and then go after them. Don’t shy away from metrics or accountability. We embrace metrics as an essential tool to help us understand how well we’re meeting our customers’ needs, and more importantly, how we can improve our performance in meeting those needs. Holding yourself accountable for achieving results is a reflection of your commitment to our mission.

8. Take ownership.

There’s no room for “victims” on a high-performance team. Take personal responsibility for making things happen. It’s never someone else’s job, or someone else’s fault. If you see it, own it, and make sure it gets done. Don’t make excuses.

9. Practice blameless problem-solving.

Blame has no place in a high-performance organization. We fix mistakes by focusing on solutions. Then we identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve our processes so we don’t make the same mistakes again. Processes fail, not people.

10. Be a team player.

Our success depends on our ability to communicate and work together seamlessly. Be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that’s what’s required for success. There’s no such thing as one person or department succeeding and another falling short. We’re all in this together and we win and lose as a team.

11. Set and ask for expectations.

We judge situations not by what happens, but by how they compare to what we expected to happen. In fact, nearly every misunderstanding can be traced to a difference in expectations. Avoid these misunderstandings by creating mutually understood expectations in every situation.

12. Listen generously.

Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” It’s giving your undivided attention to the needs and priorities of others. Set aside your own judgements and preconceived notions. Listen with care and empathy. Most importantly, listen to understand.

13. Speak straight.

Speak honestly in a way that helps move things forward. Make clear and direct requests. Say what you mean, and be willing to share ideas or take positions that may result in conflict when it’s necessary to reach our goals. Be quick to “clean up” misunderstandings directly with the person or people involved.

14. Honor commitments.

Our customers are counting on us, and we’re counting on each other. Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. Follow through on promises and consistently follow-up to ensure that everything is completed in accordance with the commitment you made. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, notify others the minute you know this, and agree upon a new commitment to be honored.

15. Celebrate success.

Catching people doing things right is more effective than catching them doing things wrong. Build people up by giving them meaningful acknowledgement and appreciation, and by celebrating both individual and team successes.

16. 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.

17. Take the extra time to do things right the first time.

Don’t take short cuts. The goal is to get things “right,” not simply to get them “done.” While we always want to work with a sense of urgency, sometimes we need to slow down in order to speed up.

18. Be proactive.

Each of us plays a role in the series of steps necessary to deliver our value to our customers. Understand how your work affects that of your teammates and make sure your output sets them up for success. Solve problems before they happen by anticipating future needs and addressing them today. Preventing issues is always more effective than fixing them.

19. Continuously improve everything you do.

“Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Constantly evaluate and reevaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. Be engaged, thoughtful, and curious. The most successful people and organizations are in a never-ending pursuit of improvement. Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through both personal and professional development.

20. Embrace change.

Nothing stays the same, thankfully. Change creates energy and excitement. Be inspired by both the challenges and the possibilities that change brings. The better and faster we are at adapting to change, the stronger and more successful we become as individuals, and as a company. Change provides us with a unique opportunity for competitive advantage.

21. Be punctual.

Be on time for all appointments, phone calls, meetings, and promises. How you relate to time sends a message about how you relate to other commitments. Punctuality demonstrates respect for others. Plan ahead to allow time for unexpected delays. 10 minutes early is on time. On time is late.

22. “Bring it” every day.

While skill, talent, and knowledge are necessary for producing good results, passion is the energy that fuels truly extraordinary performance. We may not always be perfect, but it should never be for lack of effort or total commitment. Approach every task with energy, focus, and enthusiasm. Be fully engaged.

23. Work from the assumption that people are good, fair and honest.

Operate from the assumption that people are good, and that the intent behind their actions is positive. Faith and trust create better relationships and generate better results than do doubt and cynicism. Act out of this belief.

24. Be a smart decision-maker.

We push decision-making authority as close to the action as possible so that you can make things happen. Making smart decisions begins with asking smart questions. What are the options? What are the advantages and disadvantages, including the cost, of each option? Which option has the highest probability of success? How does the decision impact others?

25. Stop and think.

There’s always more to the story than meets the eye. Be quick to ask and slow to judge. Learn to gather the facts before making judgments. Be curious about what other information might give you a more complete picture.

26. Think and act like an owner.

You are, in fact, an owner of Webco. Be in the habit of asking yourself, “What should I do since this is our company? What should I do since this is our own money? Will this help our company to succeed?”

27. Go the extra mile.

Be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job… plus a little bit more. Whether it’s starting early, staying late, or doing something not in your job description, it’s the extra mile that separates the average person from the superstar. Be a superstar.

28. Be an outstanding representative of Webco.

Every time you interact with the world, you’re showing what Webco is about. Pay attention to how you greet people, how you answer the phone, how you dress, and even how you drive. The appearance of your work area also is a reflection of our company. Keeping your area neat, clean, and orderly, inspires confidence that we’re on top of our game. Remember that we’re all a part of the sales department.

29. Always remember that we’re a family.

Our relationships go deeper than simply being teammates a work. While we may disagree, and even argue from time to time, we genuinely care for and about each other. We believe in and trust each other. Whether it’s a kind word during a tough stretch, a friendly smile each morning, or a helping hand in stressful times, show your compassion.

30. Be vigilant about safety in everything you do.

Safety and health are not just words, but a way of life. Know and practice the safety procedures for your job. Be concerned for the health and safety of your teammates as well. Don’t take short cuts.

31. Keep things fun.

While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Keep perspective. Joy and laughter bring us closer together and make us look forward to coming to work each day. Laugh every day.