Values
Summary
At iLiBRi, our core values and culture are the foundation of our success and global impact. We prioritize respectful communication, empathetic listening, and intellectual humility to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment. Our commitment to knowledge sharing, a love of learning, and resilience ensures continuous growth and adaptability. We balance creativity with structure, embrace active ownership, and maintain forward momentum to drive innovation and progress. Integrity and human-centric innovation guide our ethical practices, ensuring our advancements serve humanity. These principles shape every aspect of our work, reflecting our dedication to excellence and meaningful contributions to society.
If you are thinking about how to work with us or be one of us, please read this before!
If you’re curious about what it’s like to work with us or how crucial our values are, here’s the essence: we don’t enforce compliance. You’re here because you genuinely believe in and embody our principles daily. A mere agreement isn’t sufficient.
We constantly refine these principles. To join us, you must share and commit to these core values we deeply believe in. This document is dynamic, evolving with our team, and informed by our experiential and professional knowledge. It’s not a formality; it defines who we are, how we aspire to be, and how we work. Take it seriously. If this resonates with you, you’re one of us—whether you’re an employee, client, audience, advisor, or director.
Respectful Communication (Civility)
- Speak respectfully, even when you’re annoyed. Think “conflict resolution,” not “high school drama.”
- Respond to messages promptly—no one likes being ghosted at work.
- Harmonize with team norms and values; think of it as team synchronization and harmony, not conformity.
- Acknowledge everyone’s presence. Humans communicate nonverbally, too. Whether deep in conversation or busy with a task, a simple nod, smile, or waving goes a long way. Ignoring people or trying to avoid communication is an absolute no-go.
Empathetic Listening
- Walk a mile in others’ shoes before you speak or judge. It’s good for your heart and your relationships.
- Suspend your judgment until you are fully aware of the issue. Even in your mind, having a conclusion will go against active listening and being empathetic.
- Truly listen—don’t just wait for your turn to talk. Eye contact helps; it’s not a staring contest.
- Empathy isn’t just for therapists. It’s essential for genuine conversations.
Intellectual Humility
- Admit when you’re wrong. It’s not the end of the world, just the beginning of better decisions.
- Value good arguments from anyone. Wisdom can come from the intern or the CEO.
- Celebrate being right without being arrogant; accept being wrong with grace.
Knowledge Sharing
- Don’t hoard information or knowledge like it’s the last piece of chocolate. Share it.
- Ensure no one is left in the dark—be a beacon of knowledge. Don’t play power games.
- Prepare successors. Leave a legacy, not a mess.
Love of Learning
- Be a sponge, not a rock. Absorb new knowledge constantly.
- Feel energized by learning, not burdened. If learning feels like a chore, it’s time for a change.
- Embrace new skills with excitement. Remember, growth is not optional.
Resilience
- Start from scratch when needed. Think of it as spring cleaning for your projects.
- Be open to change. Stubbornness is not a strategy.
- Rethink, reconceptualize, and redesign until it’s right. Don’t cling to broken processes.
Creativity with Structure
- Cherish creativity but balance it with order. Imagine a jazz band, not a free-for-all.
- Use structure to harness creative energy effectively.
- Shape Up is our foundational method of work.
- We write things down. Our work is text-based.
- The method comes first, and then the tool follows.
- Shape Up is the framework that helps us find the right balance between creativity and structure.
- Avoid chaos. Creativity thrives in a well-structured environment.
Active Ownership
- Know your role and take charge. Don’t wait for tasks to be handed to you.
- Think long-term, beyond just your team. Your actions impact the whole company.
- If you’re unfulfilled, seek solutions or new challenges.
- You must always know what to do. If you don’t, it is your responsibility to seek.
Forward Momentum
- There’s no comfort zone—only progress or regression. Keep moving forward.
- Support each other’s growth. Lift those who fall behind.
- Address backward steps proactively. Don’t wait for problems to fester.
Integrity
- Be honest, even when it’s tough. Owning up to mistakes is a strength, not a weakness.
- Engage in transparent communication. No games, just facts.
- Maintain civility, even during disagreements. Professionalism first, always.
- In projects, Disagree and Commit even if the decision seems wrong to you.
Human-Centric Innovation
- Keep human agency at the core. Even with advanced AI, human judgment is irreplaceable.
- Focus on user-centric design. The end-user’s experience is paramount.
- We are the first customers of our product.
- We build something we individually and collectively love and want to use.
- We focus on knowledge quality and knowledge seekers.
- Embrace AI where it helps but maintain essential human oversight.
- Ensure innovations serve humanity. Enhance, don’t replace, the human element.
These values shape every aspect of our work and interactions at iLiBRi, creating a respectful, innovative, and human-centered environment. They reflect our commitment to excellence and ethical practices, guiding us in making impactful and thoughtful contributions to our community and beyond.
