Siqi Chen’s Post

Here at Trusty Oak, "Follow Through on Every Commitment" isn't just a phrase—it's one of our company’s core values, guiding our every action. When we commit to something, be it a project, a promise to a client, or an internal goal, we do so with unwavering integrity, accountability, and a commitment to performance excellence. Integrity is woven into the fabric of our commitments, reflecting our belief in openness and honesty in every interaction. We embrace accountability, taking ownership of our promises and ensuring we deliver on them. Our ultimate aim? To pursue performance excellence, constantly striving to exceed expectations with top-notch results fueled by innovation and continuous improvement. This not only meets our clients' needs but also builds upon our reputation as a trusted partner. So, what does it mean to you to follow through on every commitment? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Share your insights below and join our discussion on “following through on every commitment.” 🤝💼 #TrustyOakValues #Commitment #humanvirtualassistant #Integrity #Accountability #Performance

CEO lessons: This is the perfect example of our team always keeping it real with our clients, even in the tough conversations. Hear our CEO, @MichaelNitschke_ talk about *letting a client go*, who didn’t fit our culture. Conflicts are opportunities to stress-test *and prove* your vision and values as a company.

Welcome to the third Friday in a five-part series on what our Core Values are at #RTS and what they mean to me.    Today is the third Core Value: "Communicate Well" This one is a bit personal for me as working on my communication skills, both personally and professionally, is an ongoing project in my life. I tend to start stories in the middle and speak in half sentences. (While I'm not a Close Talker I'm sure Seinfeld had a name for this.) As it applies to Reliable Technology Services Inc. I see us work to make sure we're asking the right questions - of ourselves and our clients. We may re-read the email thread so we have the full context or review notes from prior meetings before discussing a situation so we're sure we have the details in mind. We put energy around maximizing the unique opportunities each communication method (email, phone, in person, etc.) provides. When things don't go smoothly, I've seen us lean into some of the other Core Values in order to communicate well and seek to de-escalate otherwise tense situations. By way of example, when an issue happened recently, I saw the relief we provided our client by taking ownership of the situation and clearly communicating the path forward. How does communicating well impact culture? When things are communicated well internally, it helps me communicate well with others - teammates, clients, and partners. The process of communicating well helps me build relationships, tell our story, learn, and grow. Now, if I could figure out how to finish a sentence with the correct punctuation... (I like the "..." thing for some reason.) What is one of your company's Core Values and how does it impact your culture?   Here's Lenny’s original post on our #CoreValues: https://lnkd.in/ezr9ik4U  Previous posts: 1) "Take Ownership": https://lnkd.in/e6m3RsJg  2) "Expect Excellence": https://lnkd.in/eCubiusZ   Why RTS? - and a sneak peek at all of our Core Values: https://lnkd.in/eG3TDra6    #SmallBusiness #CompanyCulture

You don’t need a mission statement if you live your 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲. Most companies obsess over writing the perfect mission statement or listing out core values on a wall. Here’s the truth: 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. It’s the actions you take every day. When I started, I didn’t write down a mission statement or waste time defining core values. I focused on showing up, doing the work, and setting the bar higher than anyone else in the room. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝. My clients knew the standard I held myself to, and my team could feel it. They didn’t need me to spell it out. 𝐖𝐡𝐲? 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭. My Core Story is clear through my actions: 1. 𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞. 𝐈 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐍𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬. 2. 𝐈 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬. 3. “𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡” 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞—𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞—I show people through action, not words. What’s your Core Story? Forget the polished statements—how are you showing up every day? How does your team know the standard you set without saying a word? Culture isn’t built by talking about it. It’s built by consistently living your values so your team and clients feel it in everything you do.

✨ One of the most powerful & critical acknowlegements that comes before the 'compelling case for change' - and essential when you are integrating businesses and establishing a new identity.✨ One of the most common mistakes we can make - it to move into overdrive on the change agenda BEFORE acknowledging where the business has been and all that the team has contributed to get 'here' today. Without this acknowledgement, and no matter how fantastic your plans - you risk triggering unconscious resistance. It's a simple but profound first step in the sequence...

Everything we celebrate in business—innovation, productivity, retention—they're all just symptoms. The real engine of success? Trust. Not the buzzword kind. I'm talking about the deep trust that only emerges when you: • Listen to understand rather than respond • Admit when you're wrong (happened to me twice today!) • Follow through on the small promises • Stand behind your people, especially in tough times • Give credit generously, take blame quickly Trust isn't built in offsite meetings or team-building exercises. Well, it's not built BECAUSE of those exercises. Trust is built in those small moments when you choose vulnerability over authority, truth over ease, humility over ego, and people over prosperity. You can't squeeze the fruit to multiply it. If you want more fruit, you must first care for the tree, which means letting go and nurturing the soil that produces healthy trees. Like a fruit tree in rich soil, healthy relationships grow in trust, and healthy relationships (at home and work) always produce remarkable, outsized results. Not getting the results you want? You likely have a trust problem in the mix. I'm still learning this trust-first lesson every day. Just when I think I've mastered it, a new challenge shows me how much further I have to go. But here's what I know for sure: In a world obsessed with metrics and KPIs, the most valuable currency isn't measured in spreadsheets. It's measured in the quiet confidence of a team that knows—truly knows—they can count on their leader to have their back. Why? Because trust drives results—yes, even the results you measure on a spreadsheet. What's your experience been? How do you build trust with your team? PS: Trust isn't blind. It's built on evidence—in both directions—that the other will do what they say. As always, Stay humble. Hang tough. ~ Paul Tucker

Do you want to improve ALL of your business relationships? To go from the 'courtesy' yes to true alignment? At EOS, our Core Values aren’t just a few buzzwords on a poster—they are the heartbeat of our business. They drive our decisions, shape our culture, and ultimately define our success. If you want to dig deeper into how values can be a game changer, I recommend checking out this Harvard Business Review article on making your values mean something: https://lnkd.in/grbghpQv For a real-world example of how we help companies discover and live their Core Values, take a look at "Get A Grip" by Gino Wickman and Mike Paton. Start with pages 116-129 to see the concept in action: https://lnkd.in/g7RqQW9r And with that in mind: What’s your strategy for ensuring your Core Values are more than just words? How are you defining your company’s culture? Are your Core Values attracting the right people and repelling the wrong ones? If you're struggling with answering these questions, let's talk!

A healthy dose of skepticism is necessary for the continual growth of the team. The difficulty often lies in expressing skepticism while maintaining a respectful tone. It's important to encourage an environment that builds each other up. To highlight accomplishments in addition to suggesting areas of improvement. Even better if you could make those suggestions within the same context of what they've done well, and use their strengths to improve upon weaknesses.

Ever wonder how to absolutely tank your team's culture in one easy step? I've got the secret formula: steal people's thunder. What am I talking about? Picture this: someone on your team has been grinding day and night on a project. They've pulled out all the stops, gone above and beyond, and finally, they've nailed it. And just when the moment of glory should be theirs, you jump in and announce their success to the world. Here's the deal: taking away someone's chance to shine doesn't just dampen their moment; it can erode the very foundation of your team's culture. When the team does something amazing, let them be the ones to shout it from the rooftops. And while we're on the subject, let's talk about idea theft. Ever find yourself blurting out an idea only to realize, "Wait, wasn't that Liz's or Steve's thought?" It happens to the best of us. I've made it a practice to err on the side of giving credit too liberally rather than not enough. If it turns out it was my idea after all, no harm done. But this way, I can sleep at night knowing I haven't stolen anyone's thunder. So, have you ever had your thunder stolen, or perhaps caught yourself just in time from stealing someone else's? I'd love to hear your stories. Drop a comment below. #Leadership #TeamCulture #GiveCredit #Recognition #EmpathyInLeadership #Innovation #TeamSuccess

Just be honest, the fourth of our six core values and a cornerstone of our culture. Watch our team delve into how honesty shapes our interactions and strengthens relationships. See how this value promotes transparency, welcomes constructive feedback, and supports mutual growth. How does honesty shape your interactions and guide your decisions?