Get to Know Us
Our Culture
We believe that creating a truly great organization requires a focused and consistent set of values that guide each associate's behavior. If we fail to live up to these values, call us on them!
Trust
- Promote an understanding of the 5 Cs of trust (caring, competence, commitment, communication, character)
- Individually and collectively act with honor and integrity;
- Strive to tell the truth in an appropriate and helpful manner;
- Be responsible in making commitments; do everything in our control to fulfill them;
- Actively focus on improving areas of trust where needed.
Communication
Effective communications enhances performance and engenders a feeling of team. Therefore we must:
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- Communicate affirmatively with each other, our shareholders, our clients, and our vendors clearly, regularly, reliably and preferably in writing;
- Commit to learning and practicing better communication techniques through actively using the learning tools and opportunities available to us;
- Document all relevant information in the appropriate systems and actively strive to provide access to those with the need to know while carefully treating our proprietary systems as confidential;
- Communicate prioritized plans with suggested deadlines
- Communicate status information frequently and accurately as situations change
- Proactively seek input and feedback as appropriate to improve our decision-making.
Client Relationships
Businesses exist in order to serve clients; and clients seek solutions that address their specific needs. Therefore we must:
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- Dedicate ourselves to understanding, meeting and exceeding the expectations of internal and external clients;
- Make decisions with the long-term interests of our clients, their organizations and SLA in mind;
- Respect and appreciate each client relationship and prioritize actions in accordance with their long-term contribution to the success of SLA;
- Establish and maintain effective relationships with clients, gaining their trust and respect;
- Maintain operational excellence in every encounter, with diligent follow through;
- Get first-hand client information and use it to improve products and services; and
- Strive to make each client and industry contact an enthusiastic evangelizer for our company.
Positivity
- Encourage one another, speak positively and celebrate successes;
- Minimize venting of frustrations to those without authority to solve a problem and strive to offer at least one possible solution when commenting on a challenge or problem to someone with the authority to attempt a solution;
- Strive to have fun and maintain a good attitude; and
- Seek to find the good in each other, our clients and our circumstances.
Teamwork
Effective teams achieve more together than a collection of individuals could acting alone. Therefore we must:
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- Blend the people associated with our organization into a well-balanced team with strong morale and spirit;
- Define success in terms of the whole team;
- Support one another in achieving our shared objectives;
- Foster open dialogue; and
- Encourage a sense of belonging to the team.
Adaptability
The technology landscape is one of rapid change and continuous improvement, requiring continuous learning. Therefore, we must:
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- Personally commit to, and actively work at, continuously improving ourselves;
- Embrace the intelligent use of technology and strive to leverage its power responsibly;
- Be quick to adopt innovative and productive technology and industry best practices;
- Be prudent in recognizing and accommodating technology's strengths as well as its weaknesses ensuring and validating technology prior to implementation; and
- Respond to changing conditions quicker and more fluidly than our competitors.
Respect
Respect for others and ourselves is a powerful component in healthy relationships and healthy self-esteem. Therefore we must:
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- Treat employees, associates, peers, bosses, and clients with professional respect, civility and courtesy;
- Strive to act in ways that demonstrate appropriate confidence in one another and our willingness to give one another the benefit of the doubt; and
- Honor humility, compassion, and impartiality in leadership.
Accountability
Achievement of our maximum potential both as an organization, and as individuals is only possible in an environment in which we are held accountable for results. Therefore we must:
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- Hold ourselves and each other accountable for results while realizing that people do make mistakes;
- Recognize the difference between "good mistakes" (best effort, bad result) and "bad mistakes” (dishonesty, sloppiness, or lack of effort);
- Quickly own up to and correct mistakes when they occur;
- Empower people to be responsible for their work;
- Take personal responsibility for resolving inter-personal and internal issues;
- Accept consequences of our commitments
Stewardship
Sterling Ledet & Associates, Inc. has been blessed with great people, resources, clients, relationships and potential. Therefore we must:
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- Be accountable to our stakeholders concerning the wise investment and use of these resources in order to realize the maximum possible return; and
- Be frugal with company resources and guard them with at least the same vigilance with which we guard our own.
Work /Life Balance
Work is an important part of life helping us provide for the things we need and obtain many things we want, but work is not the most important thing in life. Therefore we must:
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- Work hard when we are at work, with energy and enthusiasm focused on meeting and exceeding goals;
- Steadfastly push self and others for timely results, mindful that deliverables and successful accomplishment of objectives are more important than the amount of time spent in the office;
- Invest agreed upon hours in time dedicated to essential job duties and deliverables, being careful to make up time taken for personal or non-work reasons and avoiding workaholic behaviors;
- Maintain a conscious balance between work and personal life so that neither dominates the other;
- Establish and respect appropriate boundaries between personal and business issues, while fostering an environment of trust, transparency and disclosure; and
- Exemplify the spiritual beliefs we hold, acknowledging and giving glory to our ultimate provider and fostering spiritual growth in others as opportunity presents.