Have you ever heard the saying, “your thoughts become your words” or “your words become your actions”, and so forth?
Being intentional about your company’s core values is like having a list of house rules or rules to play a board game. Establishing house rules comes hand in hand if you are a part of the Karis Family. These thoughts and statements are most meaningful when you have a culture that follows through on their actions and promises while exhibiting a passion for human kindness.
Every company or organization has values, but the hard part is keeping these words alive and vibrant in your culture. I am happy to share what Karis' values mean and why they are so cherished by our employees:
Generosity
You might think generosity is pertaining to money, which is not the case with this company, we give generously to one another. At Karis, we believe that generosity is the act of giving your talents, your natural gifts, time, and helpful advice to the individuals you are assisting. When someone needs help, but we refuse to help or think it’s not our problem, that is lacking in generosity of time…and Grace, but I will get to that one later.
Humility
All of the chosen values are important and essential for being a Karis family member, but humility is the one that is most obvious when it lacks in our family.
We work as a family and enjoy collaborating with others throughout the company. With that, not every individual is an expert in their field; therefore, collaboration is essential. Humility shows up when we are willing to be a beginner, being kind and patient with ourselves and others in the unknowing.
Integrity
Ever expect a call from someone and wait all day to hear back? A lab result, for instance. We all know that is not the only person waiting, but it can feel that way in the duress of one’s health. The work we do for our members affects their daily lives and following through on a promise can make one feel important, regardless of the situation.
Integrity represents doing what you say you’re going to do. Following through on your word. Having a moral compass of good intentions is integrity. We are involved with members during their most dire and desperate times, and our commitment to integrity allows them to trust us.
Grace
Karis means Grace in Greek; therefore, we treasure Grace as it gives us the fortitude to keep moving forward with anything we want to accomplish. We mention Grace daily to remind us why we are here:
- We give Grace to one another as we invite new employees to the team and the Karis family.
- We give Grace when our family is learning new skills in their position because we know obstacles can arise.
- We give Grace to the providers we work with by educating them on a billing situation or advocating on behalf of a member’s medical need.
- We find that Grace is a circle of faith; what is given to others boomerangs back.
Everyone deserves Grace, whether you are at home or work. We may not know where people are on their life journey, but giving Grace allows them to feel accepted and loved.
Joy
Joy shows up in all interactions while at Karis, whether it is assisting our members, clients, or one another. As the Director of Service Delivery and raising my 4.5-year-old, I may be tired often, but I usually can muster up some joy. My son always knows how to make me smile and allows me to feel joy, even on the toughest days. Joy is our inner peace, and being aware of this feeling, I know it will all work out, and we will be in this together as a family.
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When intentional about your messaging to your staff, your colleagues, your members, your patients, your audience, it makes a difference to think twice about how your actions are affecting others; with any scenario, your choice of words can change how someone feels. As Maya Angelou said, “People may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.” By keeping the Karis core values close and living them out, we are closer to making up for the human kindness and dignity that is missing from most work cultures and even the healthcare system.
When we interview candidates to join Karis, there is undivided attention beckoned by the passion when explaining our uniqueness in how we care for our members, our clients, and one another; these house rules set us apart in that they are operationalized and meaningful.
Our founder Tony Dale created the Karis' values in 1996. At the time, he decided to change how our healthcare system is operated and wanted to create a group that had has the same vision of Generosity, Humility, Integrity, Grace, and Joy when assisting our members in need.
And we are actively looking for passionate leaders who care. If you think you would be a good fit, visit our careers page to learn more and apply for a role.
If you are a broker, employer, health plan or health care sharing community and are interested in offering our healthcare navigation services to your members, please contact us to schedule an intro call!
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
