You’ve seen them before. Bold posters on office walls. Polished slides in onboarding decks. Words like Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration. Company values, wrapped in inspiring language, sometimes backed by hefty consultancy invoices.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with these values. In fact, many are chosen with good intentions. But let’s be honest, how often do they actually show up in the day-to-day behaviours of the organisation? And if I asked what your organisations values were, could you honestly tell me them without having to revert to dusty document somewhere in your dustiest email folder??
Values aren’t bad. But sometimes, they’re just not working. And they're just not resonating!
Too often, organisational values are aspirational rather than operational. They represent what the company wants to be, not what it is. That’s not always a bad thing. Ambition is good. But when there’s a disconnect between the values on paper and the behaviours people experience, it breeds mistrust.
Take, for example, a company that claims to value collaboration, yet decisions are made in silos, recognition is individualistic, and teams are subtly encouraged to compete. Or a company that claims integrity but glosses over difficult conversations or fails to call out poor leadership behaviour.
When lived behaviours contradict the stated values, people notice. They start to disengage. The values become wallpaper, visible, but ignored.
Here’s what many leaders miss: organisational values can only do so much if they don’t connect to the personal values of the people who work there.
Our personal values are the compass that guides us, what we care about, what motivates us, and what we stand for. They're deeply connected to our strengths and the things that give our work meaning. They also shine a light on the stuff that gets in our way.
When companies invest time in exploring these personal drivers, something powerful happens. People start understanding why they care about the work, how their unique strengths fit in, and where the gaps between intention and action really lie.
Unfortunately, few organisations tap into this. They pour time and money into shaping “company values,” but give little space for people to explore what matters most to them.
We’re not saying throw your values out. But do take a closer look. Are they still relevant? Are they truly being lived? More importantly, how are they being experienced across the organisation—not just by senior leaders, but by the people on the ground?
There’s an opportunity here. Instead of relying on values as a top-down branding exercise, organisations can begin a more meaningful, inside-out conversation. One that starts with people.
This means:
The best values work when they are:
Values don’t have to be shiny to be powerful. In fact, the more ordinary and honest they are, the more useful they become.
So no, values aren’t bad. But if they’re not working, it’s not a failure, it’s a signal. One that points to a deeper opportunity: to reconnect with the people behind the posters, and to build a culture that actually lives what it says.
Want to explore how personal and organisational values can work together in your workplace? Get in touch find out more about our Values Sessions