To establish how Lockedown SEO will run now and long into the future, I’m publishing these Core Values that will guide the decisions of this company, its employees, its contractors and its business relationships for years to come.
Our Core Value and Guiding Principles
Honesty. We will be honest, not deceptive, in all that we do. We will not hide from the truth. We expect others to not hide the truth from us.
Transparency. We are open about our practices and methods. We believe this benefits ourselves, our clients, and our industry peers.
Communication. Open communication is the basis of our business. Communication permeates everything we do, and along with honesty and transparency, is the foundation of our success, both in business and our personal lives.
Generosity. We help those that are weaker and less fortunate than ourselves. We look for ways to benefit others. We give freely of our knowledge and resources whenever possible. We believe in abundance, not scarcity.
Humility. We understand that everyone is good at something. We are good at certain things, others are good at certain things. We think neither less nor more of ourselves than we should. We are confident in our strengths, and we acknowledge our weaknesses.
Community. We believe in the power of our local community, and the different communities we are a part of. We are honored to give back to the people around us.
Reliability. Our word means something. We will do the things we say we will do. We are loyal allies to those we form partnerships with.
Teachable Spirit. We never stop learning until the day we die, and we can learn something from anyone. We cherish personal growth, and make sure our individual workers continue to learn and grow, so they can be happy and fulfilled.
Fearlessness. We recognize that fear can be a signal of the things that we must do.
Profitability. It is a disservice to our clients if we are unable to continue serving them. We must be profitable as a company in order to survive.
Diversity and Inclusion. We are 100% committed to a diverse workplace and a multicultural society where our diversities are viewed as strengths and not liabilities.
Practical, Real-World Examples of These Values
Honesty
We will tell people what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear.
We will have hard conversations, and not shy away from them.
We will not duplicitous, or deal unfairly with others. We speak with truth at all times.
Transparency
We will not inflate our accomplishments, our downplay our shortcomings.
We will be open about our business, so others in our industry may learn from us.
Communication
We will communicate regularly and clearly with our clients, allies, and business partners (as well as our teammates). Our goal is to establish trust, and make everyone we meet feel safe and secure about dealing with us.
We will squash internal politics, back-biting, gossip and slander within our own organization. A company is a family, and cannot thrive without honest, open communication.
Generosity
We do not believe in scarcity, we believe in abundance.
We use our prosperity and abundance to help those who need it most. In fact, the reason for our abundance is so we can help others.
We are not judgemental or spiteful. We give freely whenever possible, because we know it will come back to us in other forms.
We do not guard our knowledge, but share it with the community, so all may benefit from it together. A rising tide lifts all boats.
We have a soft heart for those who are downtrodden, oppressed, hungry, impoverished and needy. We know they are proud people who deserve dignity and respect. We do what we can whenever possible to help them.
Humility
We know that we don’t know everything, but what we do know, we are confident in.
We are not arrogant or prideful. We are happy when we do a good job. We learn from our mistakes.
We ask for help when we need it. We establish relationships with others who are strong in areas where we are weak. We offer help to those who need our expertise.
We hold our heads high when it comes to the work we specialize in. We are confident, not cocky. We underestimate nothing. We scope projects carefully, and look for hidden “gotchas”.
Community
Investing our time and energy into our communities is a worthwhile cause. We give back to our local community, our industry community, and the other communities we intersect with.
We believe in people above money, family above work, relationships above “business”.
People are always more important than money or things.
Reliability
Our word is bond. We come through on our promises and assurances. We are there for our clients and each other.
We look out for clients, and give them a heads up to any changes in the technology or market which could affect them.
We do positive things for people we work with and for, even when we don’t tell them ahead of time, even when we don’t get the credit. Being an ally is serious business to us.
Teachable Spirit
We have open minds, and look for lessons everywhere. We have a curious nature and inquisitive spirit.
We teach people in our industry and community, in order to empower them to have more control over their business, their revenue, and their lives.
We will be proactive leaders in teaching others, in order to solidify our position in our market, but also because we believe in the power of teaching.
We will edify and train our employees equally and regularly. An investment in our people is an investment in our longevity and success.
Fearlessness
We believe fear can be an internal signal of what we should do next. Fear can cripple our growth if we are mastered by it. But we follow our fear in order to grow.
We dream big. We do not wish to settle. We jump before we are 100% ready. We have confidence in our ability to grow.
Profitability
We must stay in business to continue serving our customers. We operate at a profit, or we risk losing what we have worked for. If we go away, it leaves our clients in a bad situation.
We do not compete on price. We compete on quality and specialized knowledge. We do not want the commoditized part of the market, because it will not sustain us.
We reinvest in our business, in training, in equipment, in our people, in education. We reinvest in order to grow and stay relevant.
We form strategic alliances, when it makes philosophical sense, in order to grow and expand.
We want our workers to be profitable, too. We pay a fair wage for their work.
We invest in our workers, knowing they will eventually outgrow us and rise to greatness of their own.