Most businesses have a set of company values. They’re often words like Integrity, Innovation, or Excellence. They sound impressive, but the problem is this: unless values are translated into everyday behaviours, they rarely change anything.
When values are framed only as concepts, they can feel abstract and disconnected from daily work. Staff may agree with them in principle, but they don’t always know what’s expected of them in practice. That’s why values work best when they’re expressed as behaviours that everyone can recognise, repeat, and hold each other accountable to.
Opportunity and Purpose: Two Examples
Take Opportunity. As a concept, it suggests creating chances for growth, learning, and creativity. But how do employees live that value? If reframed as a behaviour, it might look like: “We actively look for ways to help others grow, whether that’s sharing knowledge, encouraging new ideas, or connecting people with the right opportunities.” A stronger alternative word here might be Growth, which already implies progress and action rather than just the potential for it.
Now look at Purpose. The idea is powerful – working with intention and aiming for meaningful goals. But it’s vague. If turned into a behaviour, it could be: “We make decisions that reflect our long-term goals and ensure our daily actions contribute to the bigger picture.” A stronger alternative word could be Intentionality, which shifts the idea of purpose into something people can demonstrate through deliberate choices and actions.
Leaders Set the Tone
Values are only as strong as the behaviours leaders demonstrate. If a company says it values Excellence but leaders cut corners, the value collapses. If it values Accountability but leaders never admit mistakes, trust disappears. When leaders model behaviours, they give others permission – and encouragement – to do the same.
Why Behaviours Work
-
They’re observable and measurable, you can see if they’re happening.
-
They create consistency, everyone knows what’s expected.
-
They embed more easily, behaviours become habits, and habits shape culture.
The Takeaway
If your company is creating or reviewing its values, move beyond ideas and ask, what does this look like in action? Turning values into behaviours makes them easier to implement, easier to measure, and far more powerful in shaping culture.
At Credo, we believe values should live in the everyday, not just on a poster. When leaders demonstrate them and teams live them, that’s when values start to mean something.
