Beyond the Poster: How to Make Values Actually Matter at Work
Brad Brooks
Operational Strategist & Leadership Expert | Skilled in Driving Efficiency, Team Success, and Sustainable Growth
Many companies tout a set of values on their walls and websites. But how many of these values truly drive action, align with performance, and genuinely influence behavior? Over the years, I’ve encountered various types of values, but those that stood out—what I refer to as performance-based values—had a unique quality: they were not just ideals but a call to action, shaping real decisions and guiding behaviors that drive results.
1. ?? Performance-Based Values: The Engine of Action
Performance-based values differ from typical corporate values by emphasizing measurable, action-oriented standards. Unlike aspirational or brand-centric values, they demand that every team member actively aligns their daily tasks with the organization’s larger mission. These values create a practical roadmap that directs employees’ energy and focus toward concrete business goals, guiding their decisions, actions, and interactions.
Examples: “Accountability for the Team's Success,” “Relentless in the Pursuit of Excellence,” and “Courageous Exploration” do more than suggest an ideal—they set specific expectations for behavior and contribution.
Key Traits of Performance-Based Values:
Example in Action:
“Relentless Pursuit of Excellence” is not simply a noble aspiration—it’s a powerful motivator that challenges everyone to reach higher. In an organization where this value is adopted, employees know that excellence is not an occasional stretch goal but an ongoing commitment to improvement. It’s a call to action that influences both day-to-day operations and long-term strategies.
Why Performance-Based Values Matter
Performance-based values do more than drive productivity; they shape a culture of action and accountability that can transform an organization. When employees feel that their work is tied to a meaningful and measurable value, they are more likely to engage deeply, take ownership of their responsibilities, and contribute to a high-performance culture where everyone works toward shared goals.
These values inspire a sense of purpose, discipline, and resilience, fostering long-term commitment and loyalty among team members.
2. ?? Aspirational Values: The North Star Ideals
Aspirational values, often labeled as the company’s “North Star,” represent the qualities an organization wishes to embody, projecting its best self to the world. Words like “Integrity,” “Innovation,” and “Respect” carry a high level of importance in defining a company’s identity. These values aim to establish a unifying spirit across the organization, often aligning with the ideals customers and stakeholders expect.
Challenge: Their broad, idealistic nature makes them challenging to implement practically, and without specific, actionable guidelines, they risk becoming more symbolic than substantive.
Key Traits of Aspirational Values:
Example in Action: “Integrity” is frequently cited as a core value. While it implies employees should conduct themselves honestly and ethically, interpretations can vary widely depending on the context, often leaving room for inconsistent application.
“Integrity” can remain a well-intentioned but abstract ideal rather than a concrete practice, creating what’s known as a “say-do gap.”
The Pitfalls and Potential of Aspirational Values
While aspirational values are essential to establishing a company’s identity, they are vulnerable to becoming symbols rather than actionable guidelines. When thoughtfully defined and consistently reinforced, they can inspire a sense of purpose and unity within the organization.
To maximize their potential, companies can:
3. ? Compliance-Driven Values: Setting Minimum Standards
Compliance-driven values, such as “Safety,” “Transparency,” and “Diversity,” represent foundational standards that companies must uphold to meet regulatory and ethical requirements. These values serve as the company’s ethical and operational “guardrails,” creating a controlled environment where everyone knows the boundaries within which they must operate.
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Key Difference: Compliance-driven values are often non-negotiable and operate more as policies than as sources of motivation or inspiration.
Key Traits of Compliance-Driven Values:
Example in Action: “Safety” is a fundamental compliance-driven value in industries like manufacturing, where specific safety protocols are essential to prevent accidents. However, while safety is crucial, it often functions as a baseline rather than a source of engagement or personal growth.
4. ?? Brand-Centric Values: Reinforcing Identity
Brand-centric values define how a company wishes to be perceived by its customers. They capture the essence of the brand’s identity and inform the customer experience. These values, like “Design” for Apple or “Sustainability” for Patagonia, help foster trust and loyalty, and they differentiate the company in the minds of customers.
Challenge: While brand-centric values powerfully shape public perception, they can be difficult to translate directly into everyday tasks or performance measures within the organization.
Key Traits of Brand-Centric Values:
Example in Action: At Apple, “Design” is central to the brand, representing a promise to customers. However, in departments outside of design and marketing, employees may find it abstract and less actionable.
Why Performance-Based Values Stand Apart ??
Among these types, performance-based values stand out for their unique ability to drive motivation, accountability, and measurable success.
What Sets Performance-Based Values Apart: They become a fundamental part of how the company functions, actively guiding its success.
What Makes Performance-Based Values Particularly Effective:
Actionable Leadership and Company Culture ??
Creating a culture where performance-based values flourish requires thoughtful leadership.
Leaders can foster this environment by:
By focusing on values that provoke action, organizations go beyond generic ideals and cultivate a culture where values actively fuel performance, alignment, and progress.
Acknowledgments
I owe a great deal of my understanding of these value types to an exceptional management team I had the privilege of working with: Ryan Volberg , Kevin Falk , Kevin Froese , and Graham Hill . These values were already firmly in place when I joined—they are not mine, but I saw firsthand how effectively they were lived out. This team’s dedication to embedding actionable values into every level of the organization inspired me to view values as more than ideals. They demonstrated how values, when lived authentically, can transform a company’s culture and drive its success.
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#Leadership #CompanyValues #WorkplaceCulture #PerformanceDriven #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessValues #CorporateCulture #ValuesThatMatter #OrganizationalDevelopment #PerformanceManagement #Accountability #BusinessLeadership #InspirationAtWork #CultureBuilding #TeamSuccess
Engagement Question ??
How do you connect your company’s values to the work you do each day? In what ways do these values influence the decisions you make and what you prioritize?