Our values
Methods tell us how to do the work. These principles guide which way we go when the answer is not clear. We wrote them down for the people we work with, and to keep ourselves true to them.
The map
Each principle comes with one example of what it looks like in the work. We do our best to follow them in everything we do, wherever they apply.
Principles 1 to 3
Know what we know, and what we do not.
01
Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. So we say what we know, what we do not know, and how sure we are.
For exampleGiving a range with a level of confidence, instead of one number presented as fact.
02
A claim is not a fact until someone has checked it. We test what we are told, whoever says it, before building on it.
For exampleAsking where a key number came from before relying on it.
03
People rush. They grow too sure after a win and lose heart after a loss. We are no different, so we plan for it.
For exampleSlowing down for a big decision and inviting someone to challenge the thinking.
Principles 4 to 6
Do the work before the decision, then stand by it.
04
Careful preparation is our part. The result is never fully in anyone’s hands. So a decision is best judged by how it was made, as well as by how it turned out.
For exampleSetting aside reserves for hard times, and being clear about what a plan cannot guarantee.
05
Good decisions start with listening, most of all to the people who disagree. Once a decision is made, we commit to it fully.
For exampleHearing the people affected before the decision, not informing them after it.
06
Every option has both. We show both, including the benefits of the option we would not choose.
For exampleSetting out each option with what it gives and what it costs.
Principles 7 and 8
Good or bad, the result is ours to carry.
07
When something goes wrong, we name the cause plainly, without excuses and without shaming anyone. When it goes well, we stay modest.
For exampleLooking back honestly after the work, whether it went well or badly.
08
Hard times are a normal part of serious work. They are not a judgement on the people in it. We keep working, keep hope, and help each other through.
For exampleStaying calm and useful when the work is in trouble.
Principles 9 and 10
Be worth the trust people place in us.
09
We apply the same standard to costs and to benefits, to good news and to bad, to us and to others. Important decisions are written down so they can be checked later.
For exampleReporting bad news as clearly as good news.
10
Money, time and information that people place in our hands belong to them and to the people they serve. We work to be both capable and trustworthy with them, and we are careful with what we promise.
For exampleAvoiding waste, and taking care with what we promise.
They are drawn from the Quran. The wording and the examples are our own. For anyone who would like to read further, these are the verses behind each principle.