Core value · Skill family
Rigour
Being thorough and exact
Also covers Thoroughness
What does rigour mean as a core value?
Rigour as a core value means doing things thoroughly and exactly, testing assumptions and checking sources, so your work can stand up to a hard question.
Shortcuts make you uneasy. As a core value, rigour means wanting to know that something has been done properly all the way through: the assumptions tested, the sources checked, the edge cases considered. Thoroughness feels like a form of honesty to you, because it means you only claim what you can support. You’re happiest when work can survive a hard question, and you’d rather take an extra day than send out something you haven’t examined.
What does rigour look like in practice?
- You trace a surprising number back to its source before quoting it.
- You read a contract in full, small print included, before signing.
- You write down your method so someone else could repeat it.
- You test a plan against the worst case as well as the likely one.
- You research a car or a school for weeks before choosing.
When is rigour overplayed?
Thoroughness past the point of usefulness turns into delay. You keep checking after the answer is already clear, hold up decisions waiting for data that won’t change them, or give a quick email the same scrutiny as a board paper. Colleagues can feel their work is never good enough to pass. Healthy rigour matches the level of care to the stakes, and recognises that “good enough to act on” is sometimes the most rigorous conclusion. A useful habit is deciding how sure you need to be before you start checking.
Often confused with
Rigour vs Accuracy
Accuracy is about getting the answer right. Rigour is about the process that gets you there: thorough, exact and able to stand up to scrutiny.
Rigour vs Logic
Logic is sound reasoning. Rigour applies that care to everything, including the data, the method and the loose ends that reasoning alone wouldn’t catch.
Rigour vs Excellence
Excellence is a high standard of result. Rigour is thoroughness of method, which excellence often depends on but which doesn’t guarantee an inspired result.
Questions to sit with
- Which decision are you delaying by gathering information that won’t change it?
- Where do you apply the same level of scrutiny regardless of what’s at stake?
- What would you send today if you trusted that good enough really was good enough?
More values in Skill
Competence, intelligence and doing things well.
About the author
Matt Rutherford is a Career and Leadership Coach. The Values Finder is the same exercise he uses with his coaching clients. He also writes Stuff that MattRs, a weekly newsletter with practical ideas to help you think clearer and work better.
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