“When your core values are truly ingrained in your way of doing business, every decision will be made with those values in mind…It creates accountability to yourself and others – and customers will see that in every interaction you have with them.” – Steve Grau
The above quote is from this recent Forbes article on the importance of company values. This isn’t news to our team at SR/A. You’ve heard of 4-H before, right? Well at SR/A we have the 5 Hs: Humility, Hunger, Humanity, Honor and Hospitality. Often people will say it takes much time and thought to develop a company’s values. That wasn’t the case for us. Our leadership team just thought about how we approach each project, each client, each day and gave it name. Here’s how some of our team members incorporate the company values in their daily work:
Humility: Design without ego
I was told very early on to never get your heart set on a first design because something will have to change. Being a designer means that you have to be flexible, and willing to listen to feedback, and make adjustments when needed. Changes come for all kinds of reasons, but it’s always a chance to get back to it, take another look, dig deeper and keep moving forward. – Amy, Staff Interior Designer
Photo: Amy Hinds
Hunger: Never believe you’ve made it
To me, hunger is the desire to keep up with industry trends, and find fun pieces and concepts to use in future projects. – Connor, Junior Designer
Photo: Connor Seiger
Humanity: Always make it about and for people
When we design, we design for the end user which means keeping in mind that humans can be messy and clumsy sometimes! Our living spaces need to hold up to that wear and tear so when picking out materials and finishes for units, SR/A always selects elements that are not only beautiful, but also practice for the people who use them everyday. – Caroline, Junior Designer
Photo: Caroline Boyle
Honor: Do it right
Design is in the details, and a lot of that comes from the skill of making lists and delegating tasks. It is keeping a close eye on our progress and keeping at it one bite at a time until we bring the design to completion. – Jessica, Creative Operations Director
Photo: Jessica Sizemore
Hospitality: Give warmth and welcome, generously
Friends are always welcome in my office. – Sabine, President & CEO
Photo: Sabine Roy
