7. SPII’s Charter of Values – #What #How #Why
“What” we do is important, “how” is essential but “why” is crucial.
More often than not, we start doing something from the outside layer of “what”. We decide what we need to do, and we try to understand how to do it.
It’s a simple process, very basic: it’s how we are often taught to think in school, starting with some homework we are assigned and working our way to how to complete it.
This process may be effective, we may arrive to a solution, but it will never be really successful, because it lacks something essential: the reason why.
“Why”, instead, should be the basic question, where everything starts.
It’s the origin of motivation, of passion, of excellence.
According to the famous writer Simon Sinek, starting from the inside of the above “Golden Circle” is the only way to be great leaders and to build successful companies.
Well, that’s exactly what we try to do everyday in Spii.
Actually, this is exactly why you are reading this article: our Charter of Values is the very way we look for and write down our own WHY.
Why this word is so essential
According to this theory, the way we act is similar to the structure of our brain: there is an outer layer which is responsible for rational thinking and language development, and then inner layers (the limbic system) connected to emotions, decision making and actions.
With the rational thinking, “what” and “how” we do something, we can express a great variety of information, but it’s difficult to arrive to the core.
Only starting with Why, with the reason behind action, the emotion that sparks excellence, we can make others (and ourselves!) passionate about something.
But this is the most difficult answer to find: the true reason behind our actions is often hard to discover, it requires a lot of thinking and questioning, a commitment to go to the bottom and see what happens there.
You may be wondering why we spent all this time on our Charter of Values: not only thinking about them, writing them down, but also writing 7 articles to keep digging into their meaning for our Company.
Well, if you are wondering why…it’s because this is our WHY.
Why are we doing what we do?
The process itself of writing these values is a way to delve into the deeper meanings of our actions, of our existence as a Company.
When we started thinking about our Mission and Vision, we began a process of internal research that brought up a concept, an idea, a philosophy: #WhereverWeCan.
From that, we started wondering what was most important for us: behind what we do, the products we produce, and how we do them, with machines and people and processes…behind all of that, there are reasons that need to become explicit.
There is a motivation to create a company based on #Inclusion, where everyone can feel accepted and welcomed, and all the people share a #winwin mentality.
There is a strong #passion for design, a #curiosity for technology, and the #courage to challenge what exists in order to find better solutions, to #TryEverything.
Our Values are the reasons that populate our WHY. Not because we need to say so, but because we believe this is how we will #MakeItHappen (ehi wait, that’s another one!).
Do your reasons resonate with ours?
Then comes How and What
It’s easy to create something special, something really innovative, when you start with your Why clear in your head.
It’s easier to attract talents, like Lorenzo, who want to create experiences, not products, to make an impact. It becomes easier to create real innovation, a product from the future as Intelliarm, or V-desk. And then to be recognized for your efforts and win awards like Red Dot.
Your inner WHY also helps you to understand when a cause is worth fighting for, when your Vision is in line with a new project, as it happened with Avanchair.
It guides you to build a strong company culture, with flexible hours and a flexible mindset, and to face change with a positive and proactive attitude.
Can you see, now, why we do all this? Why we write all these articles, and we keep finding and explaining our Values?
Can you see why our WHY is the most important thing we have? And same for you.
What do you think? Do you agree with this philosophy or not? Let us know in the comments below!
See you next time,
Ilaria Cazziol
