Creating a strong, cohesive company culture isn't just a "nice-to-have"—it's a fundamental necessity for sustainable success. But how can we effectively integrate our core values into the daily operations and decision-making processes?
Here are some insights and practical steps to help you weave core values into the fabric of your organization:
1. Make Values Visible and Actionable
Document Core Values: Ensure that your core values are documented and accessible. This document should be referenced regularly, especially before initiating new projects.
Daily Decisions: Encourage employees to consider core values in daily decisions. Ask, "How did we embody our values in this decision?"
2. Foster Transparency and Emotional Safety
Bravery and Transparency: Create an environment where team members feel brave enough to be transparent about their feelings and work preferences.
Emotional Cleanup: Invest time in resolving interpersonal issues. It's okay to bring your whole emotional self to work.
Feedback Loop: Use feedback as a tool for continual improvement. Regularly ask, "How did we work together? How could it have been better?"
3. Democratize Decision-Making
Empower Employees: Build a framework that allows employees to make decisions aligned with core values without always needing higher approval.
Ownership of Values: Create opportunities for teams to feel ownership of the values. This could be through team events or collaborative projects.
4. Regular Reinforcement
Leadership Communication: Leaders should frequently communicate the importance of core values during meetings and through internal communications.
Onboarding Process: Ensure new hires understand and align with the company's culture from day one. Use documents, role-specific meetings, and shadowing to indoctrinate them.
5. Iterative Improvement
Evolve Values: As the company grows, periodically reassess and evolve your core values to fit the current stage of your business.
Actionable Values: Keep values simple and actionable. They should guide daily actions and decisions.
Practical Example: Gusto
At Gusto, core values such as a shared service mindset, dreaming big, and building with humility are central. They align hiring practices and daily operations with these values, ensuring everyone from the 5th to the 100th hire understands and embodies them.
Key Takeaways
Continuous Alignment: Always align actions and decisions with core values.
Cultural Fit in Hiring: During interviews, discuss core values to ensure cultural fit.
Celebrate Wins: Regularly celebrate achievements that align with core values to reinforce them.
Building a strong company culture requires intentionality and constant reinforcement. By integrating core values into daily operations and decision-making processes, you can create a cohesive and empowered team ready to tackle any challenge. How are you ensuring your core values are lived out every day in your organization? Share your thoughts below!
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