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?
They’re not painted on the wall. They’re written into 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.
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?
You don’t need to wonder why things feel off in your business. Trace it back to the values—or lack of them.
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? That’s a 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. It 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 they should 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.
Because your values are always showing. The only question is—do they reflect who you really are?
And if they don’t?
Then it’s time to fix that.
