The Value of Values

To quote the musical Hamilton, “If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?” It’s a powerful line — a challenge from Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr about the importance of having beliefs worth defending. Without a clear foundation we risk drifting, reacting to whatever comes our way instead of acting with intention.

While Hamilton speaks to personal values, the same principle holds true for companies. Having a clear set of values isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s essential. And writing them down is only the first step. What really matters is how those values come to life every day in the workplace.

The Value of Values

We’ve worked with companies that were deeply values-driven, others that simply listed values on their website but didn’t use them, and, unfortunately, ones that had none at all. Unsurprisingly, the companies that actively practiced and reinforced their values were more aligned, more resilient, and more successful.

Company values tell your employees what to expect from their environment, how to engage with one another, and what matters to you as a leadership team.  They reinforce positive behaviors and create a shared sense of purpose.

Defined values can also boost engagement and performance.  These shared principles can even encourage employees to go above and beyond in the workplace. As Lesley University put it, “When company values are defined and enforced, it can inspire workers to hold themselves to a higher standard.” 

They also help attract and retain talent. People gravitate toward organizations that reflect their own principles and existing team members feel more seen, supported, and motivated when their values align with the company’s.

Lastly, values are incredibly useful for decision-making, especially when there’s no clear right answer. When a difficult call comes up, your values can serve as a compass, helping you stay grounded in what matters most — whether the decision is internal or customer-facing.

What Kindred Works Stands For

At Kindred Works we believe in practicing what we preach. One of the very first things we did as a team was establish our values. They are posted on our website communicated to our clients, and show up in how we work together both internally and externally.  

We proudly stand by:

• Transparency

  We are open, honest, and comfortable making ourselves accountable. There are no hidden agendas here.

  
  

• Empathy

  We take people into consideration first and foremost. We know that listening to and understanding other perspectives gains trust, support, and ultimately success.

  
  

• Adaptability

  We are built for change and thrive in uncertainty. We see every curveball as a new opportunity and choose to handle them with grace.

  
  

• Empowerment

  We believe we can create the most long-term impact by giving others trust, ownership, and autonomy.

  
  

• Integrity

  We prioritize and stand by our values, even when it would be easier not to.

Creating your values is a process, but don’t let the effort make you shy away from the exercise.  It does require some planning, thoughtfulness, and creativity, but it's also fun.  Some helpful tips to consider:  

1. Bring in external support 

   A third party can facilitate the process and reduce bias. Team members may open up more to someone outside the company. (Kindred Works can help here!)

   
   

2. Remove friction

   Treat this like a workshop. Block off time, minimize distractions, and consider an offsite. Yes, it’s an investment, but one that pays long-term dividends.

   
   

3. Make them visible

   Communicate your values to the company — often.  Embed values in handbooks, onboarding, your website, and internal comms. Be proud of them. You worked hard to define them and they are a collective reflection of how you identify your company and your work.

   
   

4. Live them

   Your values should be reflected in how you operate day to day as a team. Bake them into your company processes like hiring, onboarding, learning & development, performance reviews, and meetings. As an example, part of how we embody our value, Integrity is through proactive communication, delivering work we are proud of, and consistent follow-up with our clients, ensuring they get the most out of our partnership.

   
   

5. Revisit your values

   As your company grows, your values may shift — and that’s okay. Revisit them once a year, especially after major growth or change. Check in to ensure you are still holding yourselves accountable to your values, especially if you are amidst major shifts. You may not always need to go through the same exercise to make additions, but you do need to ensure any and all changes are well communicated to the team, including when you are making changes, why, and asking for feedback throughout.

Final Thoughts: What You Stand For

Defining your company’s values isn’t just an HR or branding exercise — it’s leadership in action. Your values shape how decisions are made, how people work together, and how your company shows up in the world.

Whether you call it being values-driven or values-centric, what matters most is this: your people know what you stand for and they see it reflected in how you operate.

In the words of Hamilton, if you stand for nothing — what’ll you fall for?