Let’s just cut to it—your business already has core values.
Whether you wrote them down or not. Whether you defined them intentionally or not. Whether your team knows them or not.
Your culture, your people, your results—they’re all shaped by the values you lead with.
So the real question isn’t “Should I define my values?” It’s “Do I like the values we’re living by?”
What Are Core Values Really?
Core values are your business’s behavioral standards. They’re not wishful thinking or a nice list of adjectives. They are the principles that drive how decisions are made, how people treat each other, and how your company shows up every day.
They answer:
- What do we believe is right and wrong?
- How do we act when no one’s watching?
- What gets rewarded here—and what gets tolerated?
Core values in business drive decisions and define the behaviors you protect, repeat, and promote.
And here’s the kicker: If you don’t define and enforce your values, your team will define them for you.
And they probably won’t match what you had in mind.
Don’t leave your culture to chance. Define your values, protect them, and watch the right people rise to the top. Click here to learn how to create a team you actually love working with.
Why Values Matter
Because values drive behavior. Behavior drives performance. And performance drives results.
That means values impact everything:
- How you hire: Do you screen for character or just credentials?
- How you lead: Do you coach based on shared standards or react to issues ad hoc?
- How you serve: Do clients feel consistency—or chaos—when interacting with your team?
- How you grow: Do your systems reflect your standards, or do they enable mediocrity?
Business growth through values is inevitable when leaders trace every result back to the values or lack of them.
Want to see how standards drive profits? Read Profit’s Not the Point (At First): Why You’re Missing the Mark on Business Value.
Values Are Culture in Action
Culture is what happens when you’re not in the room. It’s the tide your business floats on.
High standards? You’ll rise. Low standards? You’ll sink.
Values are what set the tide.
When your team knows what’s expected—because the values are defined, taught, and enforced—they start to self-correct. They take ownership. They protect what matters. They begin to guard the culture for you.
But when values are fuzzy or missing, you end up managing drama instead of driving growth.
And if you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one who cares about excellence? Strong workplace culture standards prevent drama that often signals a deeper values issue.
What Happens When You Don’t Get This Right
Here’s what a values gap looks like:
- You hire someone with a great resume… but they cause friction from day one.
- Your team hits their numbers… but they’re burning out or turning over.
- Your leadership team is technically strong… but they make decisions that don’t sit right with you.
- Your business is growing… but it doesn’t feel good anymore.
That tension you feel? It’s the result of unspoken, undefined, or unenforced values.
And it doesn’t go away with growth. Without defining core values, hiring for character becomes difficult and every culture problem only gets magnified.
What Real Core Values Look Like
Core values aren’t just words. They’re standards. Filters. Non-negotiables.
Some examples we help business owners define:
- Do the Right Thing. Even when it costs you.
- Excellence, Always. No shortcuts. No excuses.
- Turn the Turtle. If you see a problem, solve it. Don’t walk by it.
- Solutions First. Don’t bring complaints—bring fixes.
- Own It. If it’s yours, take responsibility. If it’s not, offer to help.
Values should feel lived-in—not manufactured. They should sound like you talk. They should fit your team and use company core values examples to set standards that drive action, not just decorate PowerPoints.
What to Do Next
If your team is unclear on how to behave, how to make decisions, or how to treat one another—it’s not a people problem. It’s a values problem.
We work with business owners to extract, refine, and roll out values that match who they are and where they want to go. Because when your values are clear, your culture becomes a competitive advantage.
Here’s the gut check:
If I watched your team for one week, would I be able to name your values based on how they act?
If not, you’ve got work to do.
Recognizing organizational values is the first step—if your values don’t reflect who you are, it’s time to fix that.
frequently asked questions
Q1. What are core values in a business?
Core values are the guiding principles that shape decisions, behavior, and company culture. They define what is acceptable and rewarded.
Q2. Why are core values important for growth?
Values drive behavior, which drives performance and results, making them critical for sustainable business growth.
Q3. How can I identify my company’s real core values?
Observe how decisions are made and how employees act when no one is watching—your true values are in those behaviors.
Q4. What happens if a business ignores core values?
Undefined values create confusion, poor hiring choices, and a culture of inconsistency that limits growth.
Q5. Can core values change over time?
Yes, as a company evolves, values may be refined to reflect new goals while keeping core principles intact.
