🧭 Discovering Your Company’s Core Values
Carlos Deleon
Helping you turn self‑doubt into unshakeable confidence, emotionally grounded coaching & workshops |Elevate & Lead | Manage Your Gaps | The Working Genius
Why clarity here changes everything
“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” – Alexander Hamilton
As a leadership coach and culture consultant, I’ve walked into many companies that have a mission on the wall and a vision in the handbook — but when I ask the team what the core values are, I get blank stares.
Not because they don’t care.
Because no one ever took the time to define them — not truly.
They never asked the heart questions.
💡 What Are Core Values, Really?
They’re not just nice words like “Integrity” or “Innovation.” They’re not for branding — they’re for behavior.
Core values are the deeply held beliefs that guide how your people act, lead, and make decisions — especially when no one is watching.
They’re the compass during chaos. The standard during stress. The quiet guide when the future feels uncertain.
And here’s the truth most leaders don’t want to admit:
If you haven’t clearly defined and embedded your company’s core values, then your culture is running on autopilot — and that usually means defaulting to comfort, silence, or survival mode.
🧠 Mindset First: Why It Starts With You
Before your team believes in the values, you have to believe them. Before you write them on paper, they have to live in your behavior.
When I guide organizations through our Culture Design process, we always start with leadership — because culture isn’t created by what we say. It’s created by what we allow, reward, and model.
So if you're a founder, CEO, or senior leader, here’s a mindset shift:
Don’t ask “What values sound good?” Ask “What do I want this team to be known for when I’m not in the room?”
✍️ How to Start Discovering Your Core Values
Here’s a simple exercise I use in my workshops:
1. Story Mining
Think of a moment when your team made you proud. What happened? What behaviors showed up? Were they honest? Creative? Supportive under pressure?
Now flip it. Think of a moment when things went wrong. What was missing? What values were ignored?
This is where the real values begin to surface.
2. Pattern Hunting
After collecting stories and themes, look for patterns.
Do certain words come up again and again? Do your people light up when they talk about collaboration, autonomy, or excellence?
Your team is already living some of your values — they just haven’t named them yet.
3. Define and Align
Once you narrow down 3-5 core values, define them in your language. Not generic. Not corporate.
Example:
Then ask: “What does this look like in action?” Create behaviors. Make them practical. That’s how values become culture.
🧱 Core Values in Action
When you build your company on values:
In our Culture Transformation Playbook, we walk companies through how to embed these values into hiring, training, performance reviews, and daily operations — so they’re not just a poster, they’re a practice.
❤️ Final Word: This Is Heart Work
Discovering your core values is not a checkbox.
It’s a commitment.
It’s asking your company:
“What kind of humans do we want to become while we build this together?”
That’s not just business. That’s culture. That’s leadership. That’s legacy.
If you're ready to dig deeper into this journey — whether you're leading a small team or a growing organization — let’s talk. This is the work that changes everything.
📌 Bonus: Questions to Reflect On With Your Team
🔔 Stay Connected & Keep Growing
If this resonated with you, here’s how we can keep building together:
➡️ Let’s build something meaningful — not just profitable. Something rooted, real, and ready for the future.