Regrounding In Our Values
In our last newsletter we mentioned that we are intentionally returning to our core values, and so this feels like a good time to share those values with you all!
When we started our company back in 2020, one of the first things we did was create our core values.
We were motivated to do this exercise because we knew we weren’t just creating a business to make money, but rather to change the world, and we wanted Canopy to be the very embodiment of what we were trying to create in other organizations. We had all worked in places that felt out of alignment with the actual work they professed to do and we knew that we didn’t want to replicate that here. The process of creating shared values really helped to clarify for all three co-founders individually and collectively why we were doing what we were doing in starting Canopy, and how we wanted to do it.
Our Core Values
We are committed to our values and hold ourselves and each other accountable to live our values:
Love, care, and respect: We come to our work, interactions, and our relationships with ourselves from a place of trust, love and kindness. We see each other as full people with full lives. We recognize and orient towards the humanity in each other and appreciate the miracle of life that each person is.
Valuing our journey: Appreciating the process work. Being kind and patient with ourselves as we make progress. Releasing judgment.
You don’t lose power if you share power: Power isn’t finite, the goal is for everyone to feel powerful. The more you give, the more there is to receive.
Trust: We believe in each other. We are willing to listen, engage, and reflect. Knowing that when we share with clarity and honesty we will still be valued and loved.
Integrity is integral to success: Our promises to ourselves, each other, and this work is fundamental and essential. We honor alignment with our values above all else.
Courage and empathy: We hold each other to a high standard of being courageous and are empathetic about what it takes to do that, especially during the stumbles that inevitably occur. We love ourselves and others when it may feel hard and unpretty.
Investing in our root: White supremacy culture is everywhere and if we want to eradicate it we need to start by building a just foundation. We spend time tending to our values and how they show up in our work and lives.
Slower is faster: We take the time to slow down and do it right. We really soak in the opportunity of building and growing into our lived experiences and memory, so that as we radiate out we reflect mastery. This is the power of our collective growth.
Commitment and dedication: Show up with your full and best self and do your part whatever that is. This is what brings us back each day to do what we love for the people we love.
Our lived experiences bring value and possibility: Our lives have brought us here and we each carry valuable information skills and experiences that make our whole greater than the sum of the parts. Our journey was not an accident and we are proud of who we are and where we come from.
Community of accountability: We inspire each other towards excellence always. We are accountable to one another because of love.
We reference our values often, both internally and in our work with clients. We include these values on our job descriptions and whenever we onboard a new team member. And when we come together we ask ourselves and our team, which of these values resonates strongly for you today?
We often integrate values work into our team building offerings. Whether it's a community of practice, a DEI team, or a whole organization we begin by creating shared values and working agreements - how we act out these values, or revisiting ones that exist. This is a powerful way to build shared understanding and tie DEI work to essential core tenets rather than do DEI as an add on.
This is also part of my personal practice. As I’ve weathered the ups and downs of doing equity and justice work, and of founding and building a business these values have come to mean different things to me at different points in time. As I am writing this newsletter Valuing our Journey and Courage and Empathy feel very alive to me.
As we continue to move into 2024 we are working hard to take all of the lessons of the past 3+ years and implement them into how we do our business day in and day out. This is requiring a big stretch and some discomfort for all of us here at Canopy and we are also so grateful and excited to have the wisdom we now have so that we can do what we love to do even better!
Being in this moment of transition also gives me even more empathy for our clients who we are almost always guiding through vulnerability and discomfort. And in the sage words of Octavia Butler, “the only constant is change.” As we move through change our values serve as a touchstone to ground me, to ground our team, and to help us determine the next best step forward.
We invite you to reflect on your personal and organizational values:
Does your organization have core values that are widely known? Do you actively use those values in your day to day work? What benefit could come from regrounding in those values more regularly?
What do you use as a touchstone to ground yourself during times of growth and change?
We’d love to hear from you. Send a note and let us know what values are resonating with you right now.
With love,
Naqibah, Debbie, and Tessa
How to Work With Us
If you’d like to learn more about Canopy’s Working Agreements Workshops, or any of the other workshops we offer, schedule a 30-min consult here.
Canopy Updates
We have had a busy start to 2024! We facilitated several great in person workshops both close to home and on the road. We love the opportunity to be in shared space with our clients, and appreciate the many team bonding opportunities we get when we travel together as well.
