It is surprisingly difficult for an organization to keep its stated values active. Too often, they can become like wallpaper, looking good in the lobby, but disconnected from how hard decisions actually get made.
The Poster Test
Here’s a question I ask myself about any organization’s stated values: when was the last time someone made a hard decision by referencing them? Not a feel-good moment where the values happened to align with what everyone already wanted. A genuinely difficult call where the values tipped the balance.
If I can’t think of an example, those values are probably decoration.
I’ve seen organizations with long lists of values that sound inspiring but don’t help anyone make decisions. Words that look good on a wall but don’t tell you what to do when two good options conflict. Over the years, I’ve developed four tenets of my own that I use wherever I work. They’re specific enough that when I’m evaluating a solution or making a tradeoff, they actually give me an answer. That’s the difference between decoration and something useful. At the end of the day, what matters is getting everyone to row the boat in the same direction. If your values do that, they’re working.
Aspirational vs. Operational
I’ve noticed a common pattern in how organizations define values. Leadership gets together, brainstorms what they want the company to be, and produces a list of aspirational qualities. Words that no one would argue against.
In my experience, that’s the problem. If no one would argue against it, it’s not doing any work. A value that doesn’t help you choose between two reasonable options is just a slogan.
What I’d call operational values are different. They describe how an organization actually behaves when things get hard. They’re specific enough to create disagreement. Not everyone would choose them, and I think that’s the point.
Finding Your Real Values
Instead of asking “what do we want to be,” I’ve found it more useful to ask:
- When we’re at our best, what’s driving that?
- What behaviors do we consistently reward, even informally?
- What would make someone a bad fit here, even if they’re talented?
- When we’ve made hard tradeoffs, what did we prioritize?
The answers tend to reveal actual operating values. They might not match what’s on the website. That gap is worth understanding.
Values as Decision Filters
The way I see it, working values should function as filters. When you’re stuck on a decision, you should be able to ask “which option better reflects our values?” and get a real answer.
This requires specificity. “We value speed” is too vague. “We ship fast and iterate, even if it means launching with rough edges” tells you what to do when perfection and pace conflict. It creates useful tension. Not everyone agrees that shipping fast is worth rough edges. I think that disagreement is a feature, not a bug.
The Authenticity Requirement
From what I’ve seen, values only work if leadership actually believes them. You can’t install values through a memo. If the stated values contradict how leaders behave, people will follow the behavior every time.
This means the values have to come from who the leadership team actually is, not who they think they should be. A leadership team that values stability shouldn’t pretend to value disruption. A team that prioritizes analysis shouldn’t claim to value speed over deliberation.
In my opinion, authentic values that don’t sound impressive will always beat impressive values that aren’t authentic.
Putting Them to Work
Once you have values worth having, my advice is simple: use them.
Reference them when explaining decisions. Include values-based questions in interviews. Tie feedback to specific values so people see them in action, not just on a poster.
Values aren’t a one-time exercise. They’re a tool that gets sharper with use. At least, that’s been my experience. If you’re not reaching for them regularly, they’ll fade into the wallpaper where they started.
