Are Your Values Just Words on a Wall?

Welcome, to the Podcast! Our newsletter made easy! Please note, this podcast features AI-generated voices for your hosts, Mia Taylor and Leo Baker, bringing you expert insights from owner, Ben De Rosa, at Aevum Accounting. Each week, we're here to help you confidently navigate the ins and outs of Australian tax – whether it's for your individual finances, or the complexities of your business We'll cut through the jargon to give you strategies for compliance, smart planning, and that ultimate peace of mind. So, if you're looking to understand your obligations, maximize your financial position, or simply gain clarity on your money matters, you're in the right place. Let's get started with our review of the week! Wesley Soet said, Professional young accounting practice. Experienced a friendly and efficient tax return consult with Ben De Rosa and team at Aevum, all at a reasonable price. Aevum optimises use of electronic technology cutting down on paper use. A special mention for Maddy, the very friendly and efficient Receptionist! Thanks Aevum. Thank you for the amazing feedback Wesley! We love hearing from our clients and a positive review gets our podcast started on the right foot. And we are back! Leo Baker here, ready to make your finances fun! And I’m Mia Taylor. Leo, today we're stepping away from the hard numbers of tax deductions and diving into something a little more... soulful. Soulful? Are we talking about my latest attempt at baking a sourdough starter? Because I named him Doug, and he had a lot of soul before... the incident. RIP Doug. Not quite, though my condolences to Doug. We’re talking about the soul of a business. Its Mission, its Vision, and its Values. And to help us navigate this, we have a very special guest. We do! And for those keeping score at home, our human producer Ben De Rosa has officially been outnumbered. We've hit a 3-to-1 ratio of AI voices to humans on the show today. The robot uprising is officially on schedule! I'm sure it will be a very organised and efficient uprising, Leo. Our special guest is a legend in her field. She absolutely is! The person you call when your company culture is more confusing than the instructions for flat-pack furniture. Please welcome the brilliant Dr. Arabella "Ari" Vance! Ari, welcome to the show! Thanks for having me Leo and Mia! And congratulations on your successful coup. I’m happy to lend my expertise to my new robot overlords. We’re thrilled to have you, Ari. So, let’s start with the basics. Mission, Vision, Values. It sounds like corporate buzzword bingo. What do they actually mean? I’m so glad you asked. Forget the buzzwords. Think of it like planning a road trip. Your Vision is the postcard of the destination it’s that sunny beach in the Whitsundays you’re dreaming of. It’s the big, inspiring, ‘where are we ultimately going?’ picture. Ooh, I like that. So, Aevum Accounting’s vision isn’t just ‘do tax’, it’s ‘a world where no one fears the business activity statements!’ Exactly! It’s the future you want to create. Then, your Mission is your car and your GPS. It’s how you’re getting to that sunny beach. It’s what you do every single day. For Ben, the mission is providing unparalleled tax services, building trust, and empowering the next generation. That's the vehicle driving towards that fearless future. And the Values? The Values are your road trip rules. No singing show tunes after 10 pm. Leo is in charge of snacks. Mia controls the GPS. They are the non-negotiable behaviours that guide you on the journey. You call them 'rules', Ari, which is a great analogy. But can you delve a little deeper? How does having those rules actually make the business stronger? Absolutely. They move from just being 'rules' to being your ultimate decision-making 'filter'. Think about it. Sooner or later, every business owner faces a tough choice. Do you take on a highly profitable client who is, let's say, ethically questionable? Do you cut corners on a project to save money? Do you lay off a loyal employee to boost the bottom line? The classic head-versus-heart decisions. Or in my case, the stomach-versus-wallet decisions. Precisely. Without a filter, you're just reacting. But with strong values, you run the options through them. If one of your core values is 'Integrity', the decision about that ethically questionable client becomes instantly clear. If a value is 'Community', the choice about laying someone off becomes much harder, and you're forced to look for other solutions first. It provides a consistent, unwavering framework that guides you. It makes tough calls easier because you’ve already decided what matters most. That really highlights the 'tone from the top' concept. If the leadership team uses that filter, it sets a powerful example for everyone else. You’ve nailed it. And that’s why this is so critical for business owners. Without these, you're just driving aimlessly. A strong mission and values statement is your North Star. It helps you decide who to hire, which clients to work with, and what to do when you face a difficult choice. It's the DNA of your business. It sets the culture from the top down, so when you scale from two employees to two hundred, that special spark isn't lost. That makes perfect sense. It’s the foundation for sustainable growth. But what about our listeners who aren't business owners? The employees, the contractors, the team members. Why should they care about their company’s mission statement? Ah, my favourite question. Because it’s your secret weapon for career happiness! Have you ever had a job where you just felt... off? Like you were wearing shoes that were two sizes too small? You mean my brief career as a mascot for a frozen yogurt shop? The costume was purple. I am not a purple person, Ari. It was a dark time. Exactly that feeling! That's often a values mismatch. If you value creativity and collaboration, but your company’s unofficial motto is "stay in your lane and fill out this form in triplicate," you’re going to be miserable. Reading a company’s mission and values before you even apply is like a cheat code. It tells you if you're going to fit in, if you'll feel purposeful, if you’re joining a team that respects what you respect. You mentioned 'tone from the top' a moment ago, and I want to circle back to that. What happens if a company has fantastic values written on the wall, but the leadership doesn't seem to follow them? That, Mia, is the number one killer of culture. It creates cynicism faster than anything else. Culture isn't the inspirational poster in the breakroom. Culture is what gets rewarded, what gets punished, and what leadership does when nobody is watching. It's like your parents telling you to eat your vegetables while they're secretly eating a whole tub of ice cream for dinner. You're not going to eat the broccoli. That is a perfect, and probably very common, analogy. If a company's value is 'Teamwork', but the only person who gets a promotion is the ruthless shark who steals everyone's ideas, the message is clear: teamwork is not actually valued here. The real culture is cut-throat individualism. 'Tone from the top' means leaders must live and breathe the values. Their actions are the loudest message in the entire organisation. If they don't, the values on the wall become a joke. And what if you’re an employee in that situation? You love the company, but you see that disconnect between the stated values and the real culture. That’s an opportunity for you to become a 'culture ninja', as Leo put it. You can be the catalyst for change. You don’t have to march into the CEO's office. Start small. Talk to your manager. Ask questions like, "I know one of our values is 'Innovation'. I have an idea for a small project, could we explore it?" or "What's the most important thing we're trying to achieve as a team this year?" You’re gently prompting a conversation about mission and values without even using the words. You’re helping to build and reinforce the *stated* culture from within. That’s brilliant! So, for anyone listening – business owner or employee – who's now fired up to do this, how do you even start creating these? Keep it simple. For business owners, grab a coffee and a notebook. Ask yourself three questions. One: If my business was on the cover of a magazine in five years, what would the headline be? That's your Vision. Two: What do we do every single day better than anyone else? That's your Mission. Three: What are three words that describe how we act when we are at our very best? Those are your Values. I have to ask, Ari. You must have seen some shockers in your time. What's an example of a really *bad* mission statement you've come across? Oh, the hall of shame is vast. The worst ones fall into the 'corporate word salad' trap. I once worked with a tech company whose mission was "To synergistically leverage next-generation paradigms to facilitate customer-centric architectures for global value actualization." I have absolutely no idea what that means. Nobody did! Not even the CEO who wrote it. It’s meaningless. It inspires no one and guides no one. It's just a string of buzzwords designed to sound impressive. Your mission should be simple enough for every single employee to understand and repeat. If you have to explain it, it's not working. The best statements are simple, powerful, and, most importantly, true. Fantastic advice. This has been incredibly insightful, Ari. You’ve taken something that can feel very corporate and made it deeply human. Yeah, I feel inspired! I'm going to go create a mission statement for my weekend. Vision: A perfectly clean apartment. Mission: To tackle the mountain of laundry. Values: Pro-caffeination, determination, and strategic snack breaks. See? It works for everything. Thanks so much for having me on. It’s been a pleasure. It has been wonderful, Ari. And your insights really underscore that building a successful business isn't just about managing the numbers, but about creating a strong, guiding foundation. That's actually a key part of what Ben and the team at Aevum Accounting focus on with their business advisory and coaching services. It’s about sitting down with clients to help them structure this very thinking – to define their mission, vision, and the core values that will guide every decision. This process ensures that all the financial strategies, from tax planning through to business succession, are perfectly aligned with the owner's ultimate goals and what their company truly stands for. It connects the 'why' with the 'how'. Totally! It's about building a business with a purpose, not just a profit and loss statement! A fantastic point to end on, Mia. And that brings us to the end of another episode! We hope today's discussion has provided you with valuable insights and helps you navigate your financial world with greater confidence. Before we go, a quick but important reminder: The information and strategies shared on this podcast are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute specific tax or financial advice. Everyone's situation is unique, and tax laws are complex and constantly evolving. For personalized advice tailored to your specific individual or business needs, we always recommend consulting with a qualified professional. You can connect with our team at Aevum Accounting visit our website to learn more about our services, including detailed tax guides for various occupations, and how we can support your financial journey. Thank you so much for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving us a review, and sharing it with anyone who might benefit. Your support helps us reach more Australians. Until next time, stay savvy, stay proactive, and keep building your financial future! From all of us at Aevum Accounting, goodbye for now!