October 29, 2024
At m360, our core values are not just words on paper—they reflect who we are and how we work. Earlier this year, during the January 18 Town Hall, m360’s five core values were simplified into a memorable framework: A, B, C, D, E—Act Responsibly, Break Down Barriers, Create Courageously, Do the Right Thing, and Engage with Empathy.
In this article, we had the opportunity to speak with Grace Calara, Head of Marketing and Strategy at m360, about the thoughtful process behind the development of these values, what they personally mean to her, and how they shape the company's journey. Grace also shares the values that resonate most with her, along with her insights for the year ahead.
Crafting New Values for a Shifting Landscape
When asked how the new core values came to be, Grace Calara stated that the company was shifting towards a new mindset and culture, as m360 transitions from being just a dominant A2P SMS player to a cutting edge Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provider in the region. “It's crucial that we recognize the necessity for a cultural shift. This transition requires us to embrace new mindsets, values, and behaviors that align with our evolving goals and objectives.”
Guiding Decisions with Empathy
Grace Calara emphasized the value “Engage with empathy” as her cornerstone of decision-making. “Caring is fundamental because we're human, not robots. If we ignore boundaries, these values won’t take root. You can't force your team to follow; you need them on board willingly. To achieve this, empathy is crucial. It's about recognizing and respecting diverse perspectives, finding common ground despite differences. Empathy allows us to understand others from various angles, fostering genuine connections and collaboration.”
Embodying Innovation and Agility
Grace Calara expresses that “Create courageously” is the value that she wants to embody more this year. “I want to embody innovation and agility; generate fresh ideas. You need agility for you to be able to deliver that. Sometimes, you get brought down by processes, meetings, and personal circumstances, but at the end of the day, we need to think on our feet and question the status quo for us to deliver. I believe each one of us has the capability to do that, not just the bosses and higher ups. It's all of us. If we think outside the box, create courageously, go above and beyond, we can achieve the goals that we set for ourselves this year.”
This commitment embodies innovation, generating fresh ideas, and embracing agility to navigate challenges. Innovation and agility are essential for surpassing obstacles, pushing boundaries, and achieving goals in a rapidly changing environment.
Workplace Advice: A Simple and Relatable Approach
The end of our interview closed with an advice that Grace Calara wants to bestow to the workplace. “The beauty of our new core values lies in their simplicity and relatability, allowing it to resonate with each employee on a personal level. These values transcend the workplace; they are applicable even in our personal lives too, and that is the beauty of it. This universality humanizes us, showcasing how we can embody goodness beyond professional settings.
The beauty of the new core values lies in their simplicity and relatability. Grace Calara highlighted the values as being applicable not only in the corporate setting, but on a personal level as well. The new values resonate universally, encouraging employees to apply them to their personal lives, ultimately humanizing the workplace culture.
In essence, the unveiling of m360’s new core values marks a significant milestone in the company's journey towards a renewed, more purpose-driven and compassionate work environment and culture. The development of these new values reflects a strategic response to the shifting landscape while putting emphasis on empathy as a guiding principle, understanding and respecting diverse ideas, fostering unity and collaboration in the company; encapsulating the essence of what it means to be a part of m360 moving forward.
