What is your key differentiator value?

November 2, 2015

I know it can feel heavy and loaded when we talk about core values. It’s like the health food of both personal and corporate development. It’s absolutely necessary yet people don’t get excited about it.

Here’s how you can…

Think about your values this way. There are three kinds:

1. Integrity: The cost of entry
2. Core set
3. Key differentiators

1. Integrity: The cost of entry

There’s a reason “integrity” is not on the core values list at Zappos. It’s because it’s so necessary that without it, no other value matters. How can you fulfill on other values if you don’t even keep your word? That’s why the training process includes requirements like “Show up at every day before 7am for four weeks, or you’re cut.”

Tell tale signs of a compromise in integrity includes:

  • Constantly late to appointments and meetings
  • Unfulfilled promises
  • Always dealing with drama
  • Can’t seem to get their stuff together

2. Core set

These are the ones that are basic to just about everyone. They include values like:

  • Honesty
  • Intelligence
  • Kindness
  • Passion
  • Drive
  • Humor
  • Competence
  • etc.

They’re necessary, but people often compromise on them and then they’re unsatisfied and disappointed.

3. Key Differentiators

These are values that distinctly separate you from everyone else.

I realized after looking back on a few relationships that there were parts missing that I didn’t realize were actually core to me. I don’t include these in the core set above because they’re values that are more unique to you.

For me those are:

Willingness
One’s desire and ability to try new things, entertain new thoughts, experiment and play

Curiosity
The desire to constantly learn and know more about a person through inquiries and questions.

For Zappos it’s  “Deliver WOW!” and “Create fun and a little weirdness.”

For the Navy Seals it’s “I will not fail.”

For Google (in the early days) it was “Don’t be evil.”

For Apple, I believe it’s excellence. In fact, I don’t they care so much about customer service the way Zappos does. Apple cares about doing things with pure excellence, and customer service is simply something they do.

What is your key differentiator value?