Defining Values That Actually Stick. A Practical Guide for Founders.
Defining Values That Actually Stick
In our recent blog post, “Build Culture on Purpose. Not by Accident”, we talked about why culture should be built on purpose and not by accident. Now let’s talk about what that actually looks like in practice.
At the heart of your culture are your values. But too often startups values end up being generic, vague, feel good words with no real connection to how the team hires, works and grows.
So how do you define values that don’t just sound good but actually stick?
First: Start With What Is Real
Before you brainstorm words like integrity or collaboration look at what is already true inside your company as it exists today. Ask your team:
When have you been at your best?
What behaviors do we consistently reward?
What would we never compromise on?
Values that resonate usually come from real moments and not from a whiteboard.
Next: Make It Usable
Sticky values have structure. Think about them in 3 parts:
A short and memorable value name (e.g. outcomes)
A one line description (what it means in your words)
3-5 behaviors (what it looks like day to day)
The behaviors are the secret to making your values actionable.
Finally: Build Them Into the Business
If you values are not showing up in how you hire. onboard, give feedback, recognize great work, lead…they will fade fast! The goal is for your values to become a part of how your company operates and not just what it says.
Excelerate’s Role
At Excelerate, we provide fractional Finance and HR leadership for early-stage startups. We help founders build the operational foundation for scale without the cost of full-time executives.
As Co-Founder and a Fractional Chief People officer I work with early stage teams to define values that are true to the founders. Not just aspirational, but actionable. Then we embed those values into the business:
• Hiring frameworks
• Onboarding experiences
• Feedback and performance conversations
• Leadership habits
You do not need a full time HR team to do this well. You just need someone who knows how to make it real and can help you lay the foundation now, before it is a problem.
Need a Starting Point?
We have created a free “Turning Principles into Practice” cheat sheet. A guide to making your values usable.
Let’s Talk!
If you are building a startup and want to do it with intention, we would love to connect. Reach us at hello@excelerate.work and check out our website, www.excelerate.work.
Culture is one of the most important strategic choices you will make as a founder. Let’s make it a fantastic one!
