[Verse 1] When the boardroom pressure mounts and numbers start to slide Some companies bend their compass, let ethics slip aside But winners know their backbone isn't made of quarterly gains It's built from core convictions that run deeper than campaigns [Chorus] Core values aren't suggestions, they're the guardrails of your game When temptation whispers louder, they keep you in your lane Specific, not generic, enforced when stakes are high Core values are your firewall when integrity's on trial [Verse 2] "We never misrepresent our product specs to close a deal" Beats hollow words like "honesty" - make standards crystal real When your top performer crosses lines but keeps the revenue flowing If consequences don't follow, then your true colors are showing [Chorus] Core values aren't suggestions, they're the guardrails of your game When temptation whispers louder, they keep you in your lane Specific, not generic, enforced when stakes are high Core values are your firewall when integrity's on trial [Bridge] Codes of conduct on the wall Ethics training for us all Whistleblower protections strong When someone calls out what's wrong [Verse 3] In COSO's framework, values act as distributed control They guide decisions in the gray zones where no rulebook can patrol Authentic, internalized, with teeth that really bite They constrain your risk appetite and keep your culture tight [Chorus] Core values aren't suggestions, they're the guardrails of your game When temptation whispers louder, they keep you in your lane Specific, not generic, enforced when stakes are high Core values are your firewall when integrity's on trial [Outro] Principle four demands commitment, not just words upon a page Core values shape behavior in this enterprise risk age
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