Most Company Values Are False Advertising
Why values must create the conditions for people to do their best work
Most organizations have values.
They show up on websites.
In recruiting materials.
In onboarding decks.
They sound good.
They look polished.
And they often reflect what the organization wants to stand for.
But they’re not actually used.
Not to lead the organization.
And not in the day-to-day operations.
When Values Become a Brand Exercise
Too many organizations use values as part of their brand.
We value…
We stand for…
We believe…
We embody…
But the purpose of values isn’t marketing.
The purpose of values is to shape how people work together.
To help people understand:
What matters
How decisions get made
How to navigate tension and conflict
What a good job actually looks like
Values are meant to define the character of the organization.
What Happens When Values Aren’t Used
When values aren’t used in real moments, a gap forms:
What we say we value vs. what people actually experience
We say we value teamwork…
But decisions get made in silos.
People compete instead of collaborate.
Input isn’t actually considered.
We say we value integrity…
But difficult conversations are avoided.
Truth gets softened.
Standards shift depending on the situation.
People notice.
And over time, the culture becomes:
We say we value this… but we don’t really.
That gap erodes trust.
It undermines credibility.
It creates frustration.
Because the workplace was marketed as one thing, but that’s not what actually happens.
If Values Aren’t Operationalized, They Don’t Work
If values aren’t:
Informing how work gets done
Guiding leadership and employee behavior
Supporting performance conversations
Used in hiring, promotion, and exit decisions
Then they’re nothing more than marketing collateral.
And more importantly, marketing collateral that’s false advertising.
Because the values aren’t lived.
They’re just words.
A Clear Point of View
It’s better to have no values at all than to have values that are only stated.
Because stated values create expectation.
And when that expectation isn’t met, it creates disappointment.
Operationalized values are different.
They create:
Clarity
Alignment
Rhythm
Consistency
In other words, they create the conditions for people to do their best work.
And when done well…
They create a culture that is:
Grounded
Powerful
And magnetic for the right people
What This Asks of Leaders
If values are meant to shape how people work…
Then they require leadership.
Not just stating them.
Not just talking about them.
But leadership.
Standing in Service™ means using your role to:
Make values clear enough that people know what a good job looks like
Use them to align people on how the work gets done
Build rhythm by consistently bringing values into meetings, decisions, and day-to-day conversations
Fuel consistency over time, which ultimately shapes the character of the organization
This is where values move from words to action.
A Final Thought
Values don’t build culture.
Leaders do—by how they use them in the moments that matter.