Corporate Manifesto

Introduction

This manifesto is written for prospective employees, current employees, companies we look to do business with and anyone else desiring to learn about Centro.

Centro's vision is to become a blueprint for an improved corporate America of the future. We are blessed with the opportunity to create a model company from ground up.

In a perfect world, how would a corporation govern itself? How would it treat its employees? How would it interact with its customers? Would it give back to its community? What role would it play in the personal and professional development of its employees?

In striving to create a model corporation, we expect to address many of these questions and, in the process, accomplish much along the way.

Implicitly, the foundational goal of every individual is to attain happiness. And, in many cases, it's not about just being “happy” but rather the “degree of happiness” one attains. Centro believes that true, long-lasting happiness is achieved through willing adherence to “true north” principles. Principles that have stood the test of time and are proven to offer individuals the highest quality of life and greatest degree of happiness.

Unfortunately, the world around us and the culture of many corporations script us into believing in principles that lead to discontent, dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and sometimes, even depression. Although no company can change everything and make all of its employees happy, it can do its best to develop the right culture, the right environment and the right atmosphere to give each employee the greatest chance of achieving personal well-being and happiness for themselves and those around them.

Centro is, and will always be, a work-in-progress. It is the responsibility of each individual to continually find ways to improve it.

Principle centered living is difficult because it flies in the face of conventional wisdom and societal norms. It requires personal commitment and self-discipline. However, principles are the foundation for success in every aspect of life, both personally and professionally.

This manifesto defines Centro's vision, mission, core ideology, core values and governing principles. If you have any questions or suggestions for improvement, please let me know. My goal is for this to be a living, breathing document that contains a framework for overall organizational effectiveness and, most importantly, for the personal happiness of each individual who is part of Centro.

Sincerely,
Shawn Riegsecker, President

Centro Vision

“To create a model corporation that will be used as a blueprint for an improved Corporate America of the future.”

Think about what a “model” corporation means, and what it would look like to you.

The use of the word “model” is chosen because it encompasses all desirable elements. As we grow and mature as a company, we don't want to be good in just one area, we want to be great in all areas.

The reason for adding “blueprint for an improved Corporate America” to our vision is two-fold. First, the use of the word blueprint indicates the need to document successful aspects of the company. Without documentation, all we have is a successful company and a bunch of ideas of how we got here. Second, creating a blueprint establishes an altruistic reason for what we're doing. The building of this model corporation isn't just about you and me, it's also about the value the blueprint will provide to those around us.

Centro Mission

“To create a successful corporation which contributes to the health and well-being of the community through continual dedication to the personal growth and self-development of every employee.”

Centro Core Ideology

“Corporate invincibility and financial success can only be achieved through continual dedication to the personal and professional growth of each employee.”

Centro Strategic Business Goal

“To create the most successful media services firm in the country measured by its financial health relative to like corporations.”

The Business Goal contains the first reference and emphasis to the financial health of the company. Although it is mentioned here it is not the main focus, but it is necessary to support the overall vision.

Our long-term vision is for other corporations to value our success and want to adopt our culture and principles. In order to realize this vision, we must maintain the financial well-being of the firm. After all, what company would want to emulate a financially unhealthy company? Our vision requires us to be one of the most financially successful companies in our field.

However, internally, we must always remember that success can only be achieved through attention to the individual, not the company. (i.e. – If we’re all focusing on doing the right things and concentrating on the details everyday, success and the big picture takes care of itself.)

Our vision and mission challenge us to prove the power of  “and” versus the tyranny of  “or”. We must prove that a corporation can focus on the growth and well-being of its employees and be financially successful at the same time. It is our belief and mission to show that maintaining principles and focusing on personal growth is the only way to become the best in your respective industry.

Centro Core Values

  • Lasting success can only be achieved through dedication to the growth and well-being of the individual, not the corporation.
  • Every employee is responsible for his or her own improvement, the improvement of the corporation and the improvement of those around them.

Centro Core Principles

  • Self-Improvement – The desire to always grow and always learn; your happiness is determined by the amount of personal investment you make in your own growth; clarifying statement: “The day I stop learning is the day I stop living.”
  • Integrity – The ability to live one’s life with the highest level of moral, ethical and “true north” principles; integrity is the foundational principle for lasting success
  • Humility – To realize that there is no such thing as “individual success” in life; to acknowledge those who have helped us along the way; to be grateful for the blessings we have received and do not deserve
  • Idealism – The belief that we can make the world a better place; the belief that the future of our lives, our community and our country lie in our hands and we have the ability and responsibility to change it for the better

Centro Character Traits

  • Courage – The strength to always do what is right, regardless of the consequences; the strength to move beyond one's own comfort zone
  • Honesty – In everything we do, honesty is essential to trust and trust is a basic element in all forms of human communication
  • Unselfishness – True happiness comes from being able to give to others and enrich their lives; it's is okay to take as much joy and happiness out of life as you want, as long as you always put in to life more than you take out
  • Self-Discipline – The ability to implement change in one's own life; the intestinal fortitude to see things through
  • Self-Respect – Respect for self leads to respect for others
  • Accountability – The foundational element for organizational effectiveness; everyone must be able to rely on you to handle your responsibilities and follow through on your commitments
  • Dedication to Others – As the company is dedicated to each employee, so each employee is dedicated to their colleagues' and our customers' well-being; we will never do anything to compromise the best interests of our clients for the best interest of ourselves

The Bottom Line

Too often, the only thing a corporation cares about is how much they are increasing shareholder wealth and value. In fact, this is usually the first thing taught in most business schools as the only goal of a corporation. Everything inside the corporation seems to revolve around this goal. Corporations wrongly believe that numbers are paramount and employees are secondary, if not expendable. Most internal meetings and conversations exist to talk about the numbers and what employees need to do to increase the numbers.

Centro believes that if a company's goal is to increase the numbers, they should stop focusing on them. They should begin focusing solely on the well-being of their employees and customers and, in turn, the numbers will take care of themselves. The more a company focuses on the numbers, and not the people who produce the numbers, the more its business will suffer.

We focus on the bottom line of the individual. It can be looked at in two ways:

  1. How much has the bottom line grown? This gives us a measuring stick of how “healthy” the individual is.
  2. How much exists to draw on in times of need?

We always want to make sure that the bottom line of the individual is growing. How much did your knowledge, self-confidence, self-discipline, integrity, courage and other character traits grow in the last year? How large is your “bank account”?

I'm not referring to your financial bank account (although that is important), but your character and principle bank account, the principles that define who you are, not what you have. This is a life-long account that needs to grow over time. The larger this account is, the more fulfilling your life will be and the more opportunity you will have to enrich the lives of those around you.

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