6 core values ​​for a respectful workplace

I encouraged our entire management team to read the book Spiritual company by Lawrence M. Miller. Then we talked about it.

The book emphasized the noble origins of every person. And together we decided to honor the dignity of every individual who worked for the company, at every level. We paid all employees a profit share and worked to create a culture of respect.

So my management team and I talked about the principles that were most important to us and that aligned with the spiritual beliefs that were the driving force behind everything we did. Principles that had guided us. Principles that we felt were missing from the business landscape and that we believed could make our company stand out – to make it an example that, if we did it well, could serve as a model for others.

We captured these principles in a culture handbook and made it the key to onboarding. It was to serve as a founding document that we would hold each other to, a set of rules and values ​​that we would put into practice every day in the workplace and beyond.

The principles we espoused not only guided our conduct in business, but also guided our conduct as conscientious adults and human beings. And while we have expanded them and broadened the definitions as necessary, they remain at the core of everything we do today.

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1. Unit

Every entrepreneur, business pioneer or technology innovator must be comfortable getting things done in groups.

Success is almost always achieved by teams, not individuals. We may have a great idea, a new way of making something, or a groundbreaking creative concept, but the people we surround ourselves with will help us make it happen.

No one can accomplish anything alone, so unity of purpose and intent is absolutely essential. Entrepreneurs must know how to build and maintain unity.

2. Intention

Why am I interested in starting a business? Why should we invest in one and not the other? Why do we market in a certain way? The point is that we need to examine our intentions at every step.

Are we self-serving? Are we driven by greed? Are we motivated by power? If so, how can we change that so that our intentions are more consistent with the other values ​​and principles we strive to live up to?

A current example that our society is increasingly grappling with is the following: “I have always said: I am not worried about AI, but about the innovator’s intention.”

3. Independence

Bahá’í believe in the independent investigation of truth, that every person has the duty and responsibility to determine what is true and what is not. This is also one of the main qualities of every good entrepreneur: an independent spirit.

This means much more than the old cliche of “thinking outside the box”. Rather, it is about encouraging creativity, the courage to stand out from the crowd and the ability to really think for yourself. Independence also requires our willingness to challenge the status quo.

4. Love

I believe that man is fundamentally a spiritual being and that there is no greater power than the power of love.

The entrepreneur or businessman who loses sight of this fact is in danger of deviating from reality. When we recognize and love the noble nature of every human being, we recognize his highest aspirations and deepest goals.

If we truly love our employees and customers, we will treat them as the noble beings they are. We will nurture them and ourselves.

By the way, this love should not only be limited to those I work with, but also to my clients, my community and even my competitors.

5. Truthfulness

Almost everyone in business talks about the benefits of integrity, truthfulness and honesty. Yet surprisingly, these virtues immediately jump out at us when we encounter them because they are rare.

Ask yourself this question: What would you be willing to say or do to close a big deal? What if that deal meant a huge win for you or your company? Would you sugarcoat the truth a little or even lie to close the deal?

Many people would do that, but I believe we should never go down that path because it always leads to a dead end. A lack of integrity only leads to heartache in the end – lawsuits, broken relationships, and financial ruin. Why trade short-term advantage for long-term heartache?

6. Justice

No entrepreneur or businessman wants to be unfair (I hope), but few business environments offer a truly level playing field.

In many ways, inequity seems to be an inherent part of business life: there are huge disparities between low-paid workers and those in leadership positions, a large gap between the pay and job responsibilities of women and men, and greed-driven approaches that pay little attention to the impact on the environment and the communities in which we live and work.

Fairness and equality at all levels of a company always pays off and should not be put off. Our employees will be happier, our business partners will respect us, and our quarterly results will improve. Doing the right thing may seem expensive at first, but in the long run it actually makes a company more profitable.

Ultimately, it improves our bottom line, but more importantly, it gives us the opportunity to live a fulfilling life. A life where our professional commitment is focused on serving others. That is what will fulfill us.

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A profitable, growing and fulfilling workplace

Within a few months, it was clear that simply by focusing on a handful of timeless, spiritual principles that none of us had ever experienced in the workplace before, we had already built a much better company.

Not only a company that was profitable and growing, but one that was more fulfilling – one where each of us felt more comfortable working, that quickly attracted great employees and retained customers.

Remarkably, during this transition period, hardly anyone showed resistance to our ideas. The most common reaction was something like, “Wow. If they had fostered a company culture like this at my last job, maybe I wouldn’t have quit!”

Reprinted with kind permission of Through the Desert: The Strength to Embrace Life’s Difficult Journeys by Payam Zamani (BenBella Books, 2024).