3.4 Core Values and Behaviour
Generally applicable guidance
Core Human Values and Behavioural Essentials
We believe
- Acting on the following core values and behavioural essentials provides the highest impact when problems are complex
- These values and behavioural essentials need to be part of our permanent consciousness and care
Core Human Values
Health1
The health of the planet, societies, systems, organizations, and people
Includes biodiversity
Safety1
Includes climate and peace
Basic needs: water, air, shelter, food, energy1
Includes being in balance with nature such that nature continues to provide the water, air, food, shelter, and energy all living beings need.
Truth
Includes truth-seeking
Freedom: In harmony
Everyone should be able to live freely. However, the freedom of one person ends where the freedom, health, and safety of another person begins.
1) Based on “Sustainocracy: The new democracy.” Jean-Paul Close. https://sustainocracy.blog/what-is-sustainocracy/
Behavioural Essentials
In support of core values and to (re)build trust
Be authentic
Be yourself
Truth-seeking
Includes
- Exploring multiple perspectives
- Constructive criticism
- Responding to new insights and changing situations
Respect each other
Listen to each other
- Do I fully understand what the other person means?
- What can I do with what I have heard?
- People have the feeling they are being listened to
Fairness, togetherness, equal access to opportunities
Act with adaptive integrity
Today, environments can change quicker than promises can be delivered. People recognize intuitively when a promise conflicts with lessons learned and laws of nature or makes no sense anymore. A new integrity is needed.
We give our word (a promise, commitment, etc.) when we have sufficient confidence that we can keep our word.4 As soon as we know that we cannot keep our word, we inform all parties counting on us and clean up any mess that we caused in their lives.2
People, objects, and systems are in or out of integrity.3
Take ownership
Ownership: Personal responsibility and accountability
Co-creation: Representatives of all groups involved or affected work together to solve a tough problem on equal terms
2) Integrity: Without it Nothing Works. Jensen, Michael C. Harvard Business School. Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus. April 6, 2014. https://ssrn.com/abstract=1511274.
3) Seminar. Jensen, Michael C. Erasmus University, Rotterdam. 2011.
4) To meet an executability need: Adjusted by E. Oetringer