On August 23, in meetings at Crosslands and Kendal, Michele Berardi introduced a draft of a new “Values” pamphlet, derived from a series of focus groups during the summer. 150 people were involved in those groups, including 90 residents and about 60 members of the staff, administration, and the Board of Directors.

The pamphlet is intended to be a statement that will help everyone who deals with KCC—residents, staff, prospective residents, vendors, contractors, and others—understand the character of the place and why it is special. It is also intended to replace the “Values and Practices” booklet that the Kendal Corporation (KCorp) publishes and revises from time to time. As our affiliation with KCorp ends, a separate statement describing our values, characteristics and aspirations is needed.

Residents can read the current Values draft by going to the Viibrant site. Under “Kendal Crosslands Announcements”, click on “Draft Values Book August 2023”.  (If you want to know more about the content of the KCorp Values and Practices booklet and how it evolved over time, please read my blog post on that topic. ).

As I see it, the Values draft has an ambitious pair of goals: it seeks to express what we generally see as our common values, and (because it is also a promotional piece) it seeks to convey what is unique about KCC. That’s a tall order.

I think the draft we have been given is a good start. It is a simple text file with indications of the potential page breaks, but without illustrations or any significant amount of formatting. That is appropriate, given the early state it apparently is in. I hope there will be ample opportunities for changes, if needed.

I’d like to first describe what’s in the draft (for those who haven’t read it yet), then share some thoughts about what I like about the draft and what I think would be good to add to it. Read on for the details.

The structure of the pamphlet. If you haven’t yet read the draft (or need a reminder of how it is structured), here is a summary of its contents.

Page 1 of the booklet contains shortened versions of KCC’s Mission and Values Statement and Vision Statement. (There are links to the full text of these documents in the section below with the title “But what do the values mean in practice?”, and there are framed copies hanging in the Kendal conference room.)

Page 2 is a “Dear Friends” letter to the readers of the pamphlet. It introduces the Quaker origins of KCC and the idea of an Inner Light, and it lists the six Quaker values known by the acronym SPICES. They are Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.

Page 3 is a brief history of KCC (without mention of Kendal Corporation or the other affiliates).

Page 4 is a short summary of Quaker principles, featuring the six SPICES, mentioned on page 2. Here, they are given basic definitions.

Page 5 and 6 are the heart of the pamphlet. Here, the four “cornerstone” categories that were described in Michele Berardi’s presentation are listed, together with three bullet points under each. The bullet points comprise a list of 12 values that constitute the main message of the pamphlet.

Since this table of values is the heart of the pamphlet, I reproduce it here:

Community:

  • Enhance the quality of life for all
  • Promote participation, collaboration, and consensus-building
  • Encourage, welcome, and value all people

Stewardship:

  • Employ financial designs that support a strong and secure future
  • Engage in practices that sustain and improve our environment
  • Provide and maintain physical settings that promote vitality, comfort, and dignity

Empowerment:

  • Offer opportunities for continued learning and growth
  • Provide high-quality wellness programs and healthcare services
  • Foster an unparalleled work experience for staff

Purpose:

  • Promote a culture of kindness and generosity that recognizes the Inner Light in all of us
  • Contribute to the broader community 
  • Maintain integrity and high ethical standards in all we do

There’s a lot to like in the draft. I appreciate the pamphlet’s emphasis on the Quaker influence at KCC. That is especially notable since (as far as I know) none of our administrators are Quakers.

I think the 12 values listed under the “cornerstones” are good choices and represent most of what I would see as important values for us. There are none here that I would delete.

I am especially glad to see Stewardship singled out as a cornerstone. It gets a far more prominent spot here than it does in the KCorp Values and Practices, and I think that’s good.

But what do the values mean in practice? I think there’s a reason the predecessor booklet was called “Values and Practices” and not just “Values”. Most of the 12 values are things that many (perhaps most) CCRCs would say are their values as well.

If there is a difference at KCC, it is in the way we implement those values in practice. They are not just given lip service. This is where the uniqueness of KCC lies. The list of values would be much stronger, and would help differentiate Kendal, if it were accompanied by examples.

If we want to say we “Employ financial designs that support a strong and secure future”, we could give the example that “KCC has financial reserves sufficient to allow it to continue operations for XXX days without income—far longer than most other CCRCs”. (It isn’t possible for KCorp to make a statement like this in their Values and Practices, because KCC has much stronger financials than the other affiliates, and the KCorp booklet has to serve them all.)

If we want to say we “Engage in practices that sustain and improve our environment”, we could give the information that “KCC recently installed XXX solar panels that will soon be supplying XXX kW of carbon-free electricity”.

Examples like these are needed for all 12 of the values.

Or KCC could consider referring back to our present statement of Values and Goals, the full text of which is here and on the wall in the Conference Room. (The accompanying Vision Statement is here.) The statement of Values and Goals provides what I think is a good description of KCC’s best self.

A few missing pieces. There are some aspects of our values that seem to be missing from this draft. I hope that can be fixed in a later version, especially if this document is supposed to express how KCC communities are different from others.

  • Resident responsibility. One of the most striking things about KCC is how large a role residents take on in determining what activities take place and seeing to it that they happen. That’s a big differentiator from some CCRCs. I think it deserves a place in a pamphlet that seeks to describe us.
  • Affordability. The KCorp Values and Practices says Kendal affiliates strive “to make our services and communities affordable, to the extent possible, to a range of economic capabilities.” Is that still what KCC is trying to do? Then include it in the document. The KCorp document also says, “Fee structures often incorporate modest premiums for larger units that enable modest discounts for the smaller units most often chosen by those with more limited resources.” Do KCC fee structures still work this way? If so, let’s say so.
  • Transparency. In the KCorp Values and Practices, Kendal affiliates are to “value participation, transparency, and consensus building by nurturing careful listening and effective decision making.” Consensus-building is mentioned under “Community” in the new draft, but “transparency” is not. I think transparency, the sharing of important information with those affected, is critical. Some of the important controversies during the four years that I have been at Kendal can be directly traced to a lack of transparency. Is transparency still a KCC value? How does that relate to the way important decisions are made here?
    I have heard that in Kendal’s early days, a member of the administration, I’m not sure who, said that major decisions at Kendal should be made “with, not for” the residents. That still holds.
  • Staff as community members. It strikes me that our residents have unusually strong relationships with staff members. Yes, the staff is paid to clean our cottages, feed us, fix broken appliances, and keep the place looking good. But that doesn’t mean residents consider themselves in some sense better than staff. Our residents intuitively understand that it is important to make staff members feel comfortable, valued, and at home here. I don’t think you’ll find that at every CCRC. The document should reflect this comfort level and feeling of family.

Where do the Quaker values fit in? Although KCC’s Quaker history and a summary of Quaker values (including the six SPICES) are given plenty of space in the draft pamphlet, it’s not clear what role they have in KCC’s operations and planning.

Notably, “simplicity” doesn’t show up among the 12 listed at the heart of the pamphlet. Is it not a KCC value?

I think the meanings of several of the Quaker SPICES are expressed more clearly in the KCorp Values and Practices booklet than they are in this draft.

The draft gives the meaning of “simplicity” as “choosing to lead a simple and uncluttered life.” But some might interpret that as mostly about getting rid of stuff. A better expression of the Quaker meaning of “simplicity” is the Values and Practices version: “clarity of purpose, living modestly, doing useful work, avoiding material excess, making appropriate use of resources.”

For “community”, in the SPICES section on page 4, the draft has “choosing to build and nurture supportive networks and environments.” Again, that’s fine, but not very specific. I like the Values and Practices version: “sharing with and caring for those around us.”

For “equality”, the draft has “choosing to recognize and honor the inherent worth of all individuals.” The Values and Practices version is more specific: “inclusiveness…each person is to be equally valued and equally treated.”

Finally, there is the meaning of “inner light.” This Quaker concept is mentioned three times in the draft, but never explained. It is a very important concept in Quakerism and, if it is to be prominent in the pamphlet, needs at least a minimal level of explanation.

This needs time and discussion. For those of us not involved in the focus groups (including me), this document brings up many questions. I first saw it only yesterday and have only had a chance to discuss it with a few people. Residents need time to think about it and discuss it.

We are given a deadline of August 31 for our feedback, and I hope many readers will find it possible to respond to Michele by then. But if this draft is intended to be close to the final version, a week is not nearly enough time. There has been no public discussion at all of this draft, and I think discussion is necessary if it is to be accepted by residents. This is a great opportunity to practice “participation, collaboration, and consensus-building,” as one of the bullet points states. Let’s not miss that opportunity.

What to do now. Please discuss these issues with your friends and neighbors. I hope readers will send their thoughts to Michele Berardi (mberardi@kal.kendal.org) and will share them with other readers in the comment box below. One thing I’d suggest is emphasizing the need for more time for public discussion.

Also, if you are interested in discussing this with me in person, I plan to be in the lounge at 1:00 on Monday. Perhaps I’ll see you there.