Good morning.

“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” — Roy Disney

I’ll be honest—when I used to hear the word “values” or “mission” at company retreats, my eyes would gloss over. It felt vague. Like something made for a slideshow, not for the real world. I struggled to connect it to my role and the daily fires I was putting out.

But as I’ve grown in my leadership—and become, well, less stupid—I’ve realized this: values only matter if they’re connected to the real-life authority and impact of each leader and team member.

This Season, Anchor Your Team in Real Values

In our space, decisions don’t slow down. And many don’t have a clear-cut right answer. That’s why your team needs something to fall back on when the pressure’s high—something that creates alignment when you’re not in the room.

This holiday season is the perfect time to step back and ask:

What are the 3–4 values we believe in deeply enough to use as a compass—especially when the path isn’t clear?

No slides. No fluff. Just real talk.

And here’s one tactic that makes this process powerful: for each value, define what it looks like to “Live It” and what it looks like to “Violate It.” This makes the values actionable, coachable, and grounded in day-to-day reality.

Need a Jumpstart? Here’s What My Team Aligned On

These are the six values we committed to as a team. We paired each with clear behaviors to take the guesswork out of leadership:

1. Own It, Always

We take extreme ownership of our actions, outcomes, and attitude. No excuses—just accountability and continuous improvement.

Living It:

• You take responsibility when something goes wrong and communicate how you’ll fix it.
• You follow through on commitments without reminders.
• You don’t wait for permission to solve problems.
• You close the loop—clients, caregivers, and coworkers always know where things stand.

Violating It:

• Blaming others or outside factors for missed results.
• Leaving problems unresolved or hoping someone else handles them.
• Making commitments casually and not delivering.
• Letting issues linger instead of communicating early.

2. Be Efficient by Design

We value systems that work smarter, not harder—leveraging automation, clarity, and consistency to make everyone’s day easier.

Living It:

• You look for bottlenecks and propose better ways.
• You use tools and automations as intended to reduce manual work.
• You document processes so others can easily follow.
• You simplify communication—clear, concise, and actionable.

Violating It:

• Repeating the same manual tasks instead of streamlining.
• Ignoring tools or systems and working “off to the side.”
• Overcomplicating communication or leaving others guessing.
• Accepting inefficiency as “just the way it is.”

3. Innovate Relentlessly

We test, adapt, and evolve—progress matters more than perfection.

Living It:

• You bring new ideas forward without fear of being wrong.
• You measure outcomes, learn fast, and iterate.
• You share discoveries—what worked and what didn’t—to help the team grow.
• You embrace change as a path to better service.

Violating It:

• Sticking to old ways because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”
• Shooting down new ideas before trying them.
• Avoiding risk or experimentation.
• Hiding failures instead of learning from them.

4. Do the Right Thing, Every Time

Integrity is non-negotiable. We do what’s best for clients, families, and caregivers—even when it’s harder or slower.

Living It:

• You speak up if something feels off with care or billing.
• You treat caregivers and clients with transparency and respect.
• You honor commitments and communicate proactively.
• You protect privacy, safety, and trust in every action.

Violating It:

• Cutting corners that could affect quality or trust.
• Hiding mistakes instead of addressing them.
• Prioritizing short-term wins over long-term relationships.
• Saying one thing to a client and another to a coworker.

5. Grow with Grit

We’re builders. We outwork, outthink, and out-care to grow our impact and reputation.

Living It:

• You bring energy and urgency to each day.
• You view challenges as opportunities to build something better.
• You track goals and push to beat your own best.
• You stay positive under pressure and help others do the same.

Violating It:

• Doing the minimum and coasting when things are good.
• Avoiding accountability for growth targets or outcomes.
• Letting setbacks drain your momentum.
• Acting like “it’s not my job” when the team needs help.

6. Take Care of Each Other

We win as a team. We communicate directly, assume good intent, and have each other’s backs.

Living It:

• You show appreciation and recognize effort.
• You give feedback directly and respectfully.
• You step in when a teammate or caregiver needs support.
• You protect the culture—no gossip, no drama.

Violating It:

• Talking about people instead of to them.
• Letting someone struggle in silence.
• Failing to recognize others’ contributions.
• Putting ego before team results.

Action Step Before Year-End

Block 90 minutes. Get your leadership team together. Ask:

• What do we really want to be known for?
• What are the values we want to drive our decisions—every day, even when things are hard?
• And how will we know we’re living them?

Use the “Living It” and “Violating It” format to make your values stick. It brings clarity, creates shared language, and gives you a foundation for coaching, decision-making, and trust.

When values are clear, people act with confidence—even when you’re not in the room.

The NHA Stand-Up Playlist

Whether you’re bracing for survey, rebuilding next month’s schedule from scratch, or just need a mental reset — we got you.

The NHA Stand-Up Playlist is built by NHAs, for NHAs.

Tracks that lift you up, fire you up, or just let you breathe.

🎧 Listen to the full NHA Stand-Up Playlist here

Whenever you're ready, I can help you in a few ways.

1. Get 1 FREE CEU - Read our partner Viventium's "2025 Healthcare Workforce Management Report" and receive 1 NAB approved CE credit. Read here. 
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Thanks for reading.  Have a wonderful day.

Kevin Goedeke, Publisher and Founder