Company values are guiding principles, the foundation that provides alignment toward a common purpose.
At Imperial Clinical Research Services, everything we do is rooted in our company values, which are integral to our success. Imperial’s six values are an extremely important piece of our culture. We apply them to strategy, decision-making, hiring, and the performance review process, to name just a few areas.
Values are deeply held beliefs that act as guiding principles in an individual’s life. They reflect what a person considers most important or worthwhile, often influencing their attitudes and behavior.
It takes time to make values second nature and truly ingrained in company culture, and we make a point to keep our values front and center in our collective consciousness.
Each of our company values supports our company’s “Why.” A company’s Why is its purpose, beliefs, and why it exists. At Imperial Clinical Research Services, our Why is To Positively Impact Lives.
Here, I describe each of Imperial’s values, which are the foundation of what makes our team members and our company tick.
1. We Exceed Expectations
To exceed expectations, you must have drive and enthusiasm for what you do and who you do it for. Getting our minds trained to view what we do from the perspective of the recipients of our actions and knowing whether they will view us as average or exceptional is a valuable talent. This will serve you well personally and professionally.
The drive to exceed expectations is one of Imperial’s most powerful tools against the risk of being average. Average products, average services, average customer experience, average team member experience, the list goes on. We experience “average” hundreds of times every day because it’s hard not to be average. It takes thought, effort, discipline, and being intentional to exceed expectations.
We are excited when we exceed the expectations of a customer, a co-worker, or a vendor. We strive to be the reason why they have a great Monday or smile for the first time that day.
2. We Pursue Growth and Learning
Imperial wants to provide an environment that encourages our team members to become all that they can be. We believe you should never stop growing and learning. We should always be on a path to better ourselves and the environment in which we operate.
Simply having the attitude and drive to continuously improve and grow sets us apart from our competitors. This looks like:
- Driving to be your own teacher
- Living and breathing improvement
- Seeking opportunities to learn from anyone and everyone
Growth and learning are perpetual journeys. Business will continue to change and always present new challenges. Just when we have finished learning something new or solving a seemingly insolvable – there will be more to learn and another challenge we are up against. It may seem daunting, but it is what gives us purpose.
I like to see myself as a growth-minded individual. Whether through reading, active listening, or experience, I practice a mindset of continuously looking for takeaways that can be applied in both my personal and professional life.
Learning has been shown in research to help improve and maintain our well-being. It can boost self-confidence and self-esteem, help build a sense of purpose, and foster connections with others. People engaged in learning, report feeling better about themselves and have a greater ability to cope with stress, as well as feeling more self-confidence, hope, and purpose.
3. We Believe in “One Team” Teamwork
We pursue this value through every layer of the company and celebrate being part of One Team through our shared purpose and values. Living One Team requires trust, which delivers transparency and improved communication to enable collaboration and teamwork.
This company value is rooted in the adage that two heads are better than one and acknowledges the fact that driving results is truly a shared undertaking.
Some interesting facts about teamwork:
- Research shows that collaborative problem-solving leads to better outcomes.
- People are more likely to take calculated risks that lead to innovation if they have the support of a team behind them.
- Working in a team encourages personal growth, increases job satisfaction, and reduces stress.
We spend one-third of our waking hours at work. Isn’t being part of a team during that time preferable to being out on your own? I like the saying, “Alone, you can go fast, together, you can go far.”
4. We Are Passionate and Determined
Imperial values passion, determination, perseverance, and a sense of urgency. We are inspired because we believe in what we are doing and where we are going.
It is reasonable to ask oneself:
- Am I passionate about the company I work for?
- Am I passionate about my work?
- Do I love what I do and who I work with?
- Am I happy here?
- Am I inspired?
- Do I believe in what we are doing and where we are going?
- Is this the place for me?
Imperial’s team members regularly say they are inspired by the clinical trials industry and its potential to change lives. There is excitement in knowing that everyone you work with has an impact on a larger dream and vision, and you can see that impact day in and day out.
This can be contagious, and we hope that those we do business with will experience passion and determination in the products and services we deliver.
5. We Have a Desire to Serve
We believe we are here to serve, and we gladly serve each other with humility. Being of service is not a weakness; to the contrary, it is empowering. It is you leveraging your knowledge, skills, and resources at hand to positively impact lives.
The mindset behind this company value includes putting the gain of others before your own and looking for opportunities to support a team member, a customer, or a vendor.
Imperial Clinical Research Services serves our customers and derives energy through genuine care — caring that they are successful in their own mission and purpose.
6. We Do the Right Thing
Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. We don’t cut corners, step on others, or break the rules to get ahead. We believe doing the right thing means embracing honesty, being fair, and, at times, taking the road less traveled.
I have seen it firsthand, and you might have, too: a person or a business that has garnered remarkable success but has done so in some not-so-great ways. Pick your poison, abusing workforces, bribery, corruption, lying, theft, etc. The dismal truth is that many get away with this and continue to prosper. Sometimes, the bad guys come in first, and the good guys come in last. All we can do is hope for the arrival of cosmic justice on these people and their companies.
Do these rule breakers have the success we would like to have? Yes. But how do they manage to sleep at night? How are they viewed by others? What are the cultures like in these companies?
Culture of Doing the Right Thing
I want to work with people who sleep soundly, in a culture where heads are held high. To work with teams not stressed every week because they do not know which rules we are going to choose to break or who we are going to take advantage of to reach our goals. I want to work with people whose moral compass tells them they may need to make a sacrifice if it means serving the greater good.
Doing the right thing is not easy. It may mean Imperial takes short-term losses for longer-term gains. But over time, those we engage with see this. It becomes clear to them there is honesty and integrity behind how we conduct ourselves, and those are the foundations upon which leaders are born. A culture of leaders choosing to do the right thing will earn the respect and, ultimately, the loyalty of our vendors and customers and make them want to be part of what we have built.
Final Thoughts
We continue to look for ways to reinforce these company values, and every team member is a front-row ambassador and defender of them. How each Imperial team member engages with our customers, our vendors, and each other brings our values to life. It is an awesome responsibility, and our team members live these values every day.