Walk the Talk: How to Back Values with Real Behaviours

Jul 30

5 min read

Every company has values. But not every company lives them.

I once walked into the head office of a company proudly displaying its values in giant letters on the wall:

"Integrity. Respect. Teamwork. Innovation"

They were impossible to miss — etched in glass behind reception, printed on coffee mugs, even pinned to every meeting room door.

But within minutes, the gap between the words and the reality was obvious.

People whispered in hallways instead of speaking openly. Junior team members avoided eye contact when senior leaders entered the room. Meetings were dominated by power plays, not shared ideas (and coffee always poured by the most junior). And decisions? They were made behind closed doors, with little explanation or input.

✅ The values said Collaboration.

❌ The culture said Control.

✅ The values said Integrity.

❌ The behaviour said Silence is safer.

I left that office thinking: Who are they kidding? (The likely answer — only themselves).

That company isn’t alone. Many organisations fall into the same trap: they choose impressive-sounding words, but fail to turn them into anything meaningful, let alone actionable. And when values aren’t reflected in daily behaviours, people stop believing in them — fast.

The solution? Translate values into specific, observable behaviours.

Behaviours that guide decisions, shape conversations, and show people what “good” really looks like.

The organisations who do this well don’t just create a values list. They build playbooks, rituals and systems to help people live those values, consistently and credibly.

Why Behavioural Values Matter

When values are backed by real behaviour, they build clarity, consistency, and trust. People know what’s expected, how to act, and what gets rewarded. When values are vague or performative, they confuse and alienate. At worst, they erode credibility.

Consider Enron, which publicly championed values like integrity and respect — while executives secretly orchestrated one of the largest frauds in corporate history. Or Wells Fargo, whose value of “doing what’s right for customers” was undermined by pressure-driven sales targets that led to millions of fake accounts.

In each case, values existed, but were meaningless in practice.

Companies Who Get It Right

The best cultures don’t just hang values on the wall — they bake them into behaviours, decisions, and rituals. Here’s how standout companies are doing just that:

Airbnb published a culture-defining letter titled “What Makes Airbnb, Airbnb” by CEO Brian Chesky. Rather than listing values, it reaffirms Airbnb’s reason for being — to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. The letter outlines how Airbnb is rebuilding around its core purpose and rediscovering the soul of the company after years of growth and complexity. It’s a powerful example of culture not as a poster or policy, but as a deeply personal and strategic anchor that guides product, leadership, and employee experience.

HubSpot made waves with its 128-slide Culture Code, viewed over 5 million times. Far from a static document, it’s a living guide that evolves with the company. Values like Use good judgment and Grow with heart are backed by specific behaviours and applied across hiring, development, and team collaboration. It’s as much a recruiting tool as it is a cultural compass.

Valve, the video game company behind Steam, takes a radically transparent and autonomous approach. Its Employee Handbook reads more like a manifesto than a manual. It lays out the company’s flat structure, explains why desks are on wheels, and encourages employees to choose the work they believe will have the most impact. It’s a bold experiment in self-direction, grounded in cultural clarity.

Netflix continues to evolve its famed culture framework with a 2023 culture memo update. It still champions “Freedom and Responsibility,” but now places stronger emphasis on integrity, inclusivity, and context-driven leadership. Rather than telling people what to do, Netflix sets high expectations and trusts employees to make decisions aligned with their shared principles — which are clearly defined and constantly discussed. An extract below shows how Netflix aim to uphold these standards, calling out the challenging scenarios, e.g. 'No matter how brilliant someone is, there's no place in our Dream Team for people who don't treat their colleagues with decency and respect."

These companies don’t just talk about values — they bring them to life through consistent behaviours, visible leadership, and intentional design. Culture becomes more than a set of beliefs — it becomes a living system that shapes how people think, act, and grow. They don’t just talk about values — they operationalise them. They document the behaviours they expect, build rituals and systems to reinforce them, and hold themselves accountable when they fall short. That’s how culture becomes more than a promise — it becomes a practice.

How Leaders Can Turn Values Into Clear Behaviours

If you’re a leader looking to bring your organisation’s values to life, here’s a practical 6-step approach:

1. Define Behavioural Anchors

For each value, define 3–5 specific behaviours. Ask: “How do we know when someone is living this value?” Include real examples and language that fits your culture.

2. Co-Create a Values Playbook

Involve teams in building a short, visual playbook. Use formats like “We do / We don’t” or “Looks like / Doesn’t look like.” Include examples from real people and stories from your culture. Focus on typical dilemmas, e.g. scenarios where shortcuts or misaligned behaviours are tempting.

3. Embed in People Systems

Align hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and leadership development with your values. Use behavioural interview questions and give feedback based on values-in-action. It has to feel effortless to identify, develop and reward the behaviours that help the culture to grow.

4. Make Values Visible

Rituals matter. Use weekly shout-outs, retros, check-ins, or team health monitors that spotlight value-led behaviour (even when the outcome isn’t outright success). Celebrate moments that reinforce the culture you want to grow.

5. Model from the Top

Leaders set the tone. Consistently demonstrate values in decisions, meetings, and communications. If you expect openness, model transparency — even when it’s uncomfortable.

6. Measure and Adapt

Check for alignment and evolution. Use pulse surveys, culture audits, and team feedback to assess how behaviours are showing up. Be willing to tweak your language and practices as the business changes.

Values are not what you say — they're what you do.

The companies that truly shape culture don’t just choose values, they translate them into behaviours, rituals, and systems people can act on.

It doesn’t require a massive budget or a viral slide deck. It just takes intention, clarity, and leadership. Because when values are visible, actionable, and lived at every level, culture becomes a competitive advantage, not just a nice idea.