Drake’s core values form the foundation of how we perform our work, how we conduct ourselves, and how we interact with one another. Our core values serve as a foundation to help guide us in building a stronger, more vibrant campus culture.

Over the next four weeks, we will explore how each core value specifically supports an environment where employees are appreciated and can appreciate each other. Let’s start with:

Joyful Accountability

• I am curious and creative, brave and bold.
• I strive each day to be my best.

What an empowering core value to have! In many organizations, accountability is thought of as almost a punitive concept. The subject comes up when something doesn’t go right—when someone messes up. An image of accountability is often a pointing finger assigning blame.

Not here. This value tells us that it’s actually okay to be wrong—it’s acceptable to try and fail. We value improvement and innovation and sometimes even our best efforts in those areas miss the mark. And that’s okay. When we are diligent and things don’t pan out quite as we wanted, we can pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and try again.

This value equally encourages us to be accountable for how we approach each day, as well as share in each other’s achievements and recognize our colleagues when they succeed. Let’s celebrate each other’s triumphs, learn from each other’s missteps, and strive together to think up new and better ways of carrying out our work.

Is there a staff member you want to hold accountable for their awesomeness—their propensity to be curious, creative, brave, or bold?  Why not nominate them for a Called to be True Blue award? If you know of a student worker who has been coming up with ideas and suggestions to help your department improve? Why not have the department put together a nice thank you card? Write them an unsolicited letter of thanks and recommendation that they can have on hand for the future? If you know a faculty member who has been going above and beyond with their ideas and suggestions for improvement—send an email to the Dean, heck the Provost, so their good work garners additional visibility.

“A culture of accountability makes a good organization great and a great organization unstoppable,” wrote author Henry Evans. Let’s channel accountability to inspire and fuel us. We can help contribute to such a culture by appreciating—embracing and encouraging—the ideas, suggestions, and innovative steps we all take with Drake’s students and best interests at heart. If you stop and think about it, it feels like appreciation is baked into this sentiment of joyful accountability. Isn’t that great?

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Nate Reagen, President’s Office