Core Values

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Author Message Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1199 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2010 - 06:37 am:    100609 CORE VALUES-- REALLY? by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT, Cincinnati, OH Stumbling along in the tucked-away info in CSI Wiki, I tripped over the following: CSI’S CORE VALUES: [side questions are my initial reactions] Foster innovation and creative thinking: In whom? In what ways? Just within CSI? Honor and embrace our diversity: Just within CSI? With other organizations? Within construction industry? Encourage personal and professional growth: CSI members only? Related agencies, groups? Make knowledge-based decisions: About whom? What? Regarding? Strive for cooperative solutions: With whom? Within CSI only? Promote stewardship of the environment: More important than specifications? In construction industry? In communications? Promote and recognize individual and team excellence: What teams? Who/ How? Celebrate camaraderie: How about just “promoting” or “providing” Why “celebrate? Keep promises, and trust others will do the same: To membership? Anyone else? Value the needs of those we serve: Value is one thing; meeting or assisting is another Now I do not know who authored and posted this list, but my reaction, while running through them, is that many questions arise-- and the fuzziness could be sharpened to really reflect CSI’s values. This is not meant as sniping, but just as a sincere but different approach [with apologies to whomever conceived the list]. My revised list of value names and comments: PROMOTE Foster innovation and creative thinking: Really “go after” innovation in thoughts and actions or members and organization overall. HOLD Honor and embrace our diversity as a given: Broaden this concept to all persons, allied groups, and whole construction industry STIMULATE Encourage personal and professional growth: Provide viable programs for CSI members and all construction industry entities MAINTAIN/ESTABLISH programs using Make knowledge-based decisions: Implement strategic plan elements and widen CSI purview and image DEDICATE EFFORTS to Strive for cooperative solutions: Draw upon business-like pragmatism, expertise, innovation and imagination of members Promote stewardship of the environment: Contribute to and facilitate proper documentation of environmental concerns FREELY AND CONTINUALLY Promote and recognize individual and team excellence: Due reward fosters increased effort and better results REVEL IN INCLUSIVE Celebrate camaraderie: Actively create opportunities to increase level of personal relationships KEEP PROMISES, and trust others will do the same: CSI should be prepared to always keep its word and its ability to deal with others ADDRESS Value the needs of those we serve: Fundamental part of membership “contract”; listen to and be of value to members at all levels It’s understandable that a plan is an overall scheme and not something with myriad detail [a “plan implementation force” is necessary! how else do the plan directions get meaning and done?]. But at the same time, is there a reason why such items as this list cannot be stated in forthright and distinct terms [much more in the imperative idiom of specifications]? Can’t we be more forceful and direct in such lists which in turn could be used as “lighthouses” for quicker and more direct actions, programs and considerations? -- by the plan implementations force? Maybe we can project a more imposing image and more action-oriented approach in this manner, so outsiders can better see our resolve and determination to make changes and take meaningful action[s]. OK, fuzziness is more a function of politics, whereas CSI is a function of better service, better image, wider purview and elevated assistance to all who can benefit from our actions, programs and expertise-- guess maybe you can call that, ”leadership”!