As the old saying goes – “Actions speak louder than words.” Actions demonstrate commitment, intention and show that a person is invested in the outcome of what they are doing. They demonstrate behaviours, qualities, and values that can be watched and learned by other people. Words, on the other hand can often be empty promises or claims with no real meaning. They can be misunderstood or misinterpreted, or simply fall on deaf ears.
With that belief in the power of action in mind, Highview’s Partnership group took a meaningful step forward in 2019. They invited the entire team to openly collaborate, reflect deeply, and help finalise our firm’s set of Highview Guiding Principles (GPs). The Partners believed these values shouldn’t be dictated from the top down — genuine, long-term buy-in required that our GPs be shaped by everyone, and agreed upon together.
THE OUTCOME – a list of 7 Highview Guiding Principles were clearly defined and as a team agreed together to commit to and strive to live and breathe by daily – doing so by their actions. Our Partners wanted to set a standard of core values that would be embraced and nurtured by all, as well as clearly outline behavioural and attitudinal expectations within the workplace.
A Guiding Principle is an action-oriented expression of a core value. It is a standard for behaviour and mindset in the workplace, and a lens through which the team make decisions and intentionally build our meaningful organisational culture.
Over many years, Highview has embraced and proactively actioned our Guiding Principles to empower staff growth and development, as well as strongly nurture a workplace that’s focused on teamwork, positive collaboration, having the best interests of our people at heart, as well as celebrating the wins and uplifting one another.
Earlier this year, our entire Highview Crew attended a 2-day Staff Wellness Retreat in Cape Schanck – with a focus on how to evolve and continue to action our Guiding Principles, adding substance to their formation, instead of just reiterating them via a dull old PowerPoint Presentation! With practical inspiration provided by our incredible motivational life coach and guest speaker, Shannah Kennedy, our team didn’t simply leave the retreat and move on…
Many were impacted deeply by the workshops, and we together set some simple goals to implement upon our return. Since February, we’ve actioned many new initiatives in the workplace that align with our Guiding Principles and are we’ve been thrilled to see they are practiced daily by many and will continue to evolve over the long-term. We have installed simple words and subtle reminders on the walls in our office common areas relating self-care, as well as shared powerful tools, tips, and strategies that can assist us in many areas of our work life and personal life. These simple words on our walls remind us to take the time to give each other a high-five and celebrate the wins, as well as be present and at times just breathe.
Excitingly, two of our valued team members were given the opportunity to attend the most recent Thousand Faces REACH Foundation Camp held in September. Over the last four years we’ve been lucky enough to send a total of 8 team members on these camps – all who have returned with experiences that have been life-changing and incredibly impactful. This camp brings together young people with challenging life experiences and matches them with inspiring adult mentors so they can learn from each other in a supportive and highly engaging environment jam-packed with personal challenges and wellness activities.
It has been an important part of our team culture to not only discuss positive changes, but to action them… and we are proud of our ongoing efforts…. plus, we have much more planned for the months ahead!
As Benjamin Franklin once said; “Well done is better than well said!” … and we are pretty proud to be getting things done to continually grow as a business and support the personal and professional growth of our Highview Crew!
