Establishing Core Cultural Values

Most companies build their strategy backwards. (And wonder why nothing sticks.) They start with culture initiatives. Pizza Fridays. Ping pong tables. Team building retreats. Then they craft mission statements in committee meetings. Generic words that could describe any business. Next come the values posters. "Innovation. Excellence. Integrity." (The same ones hanging in your competitor's lobby.) Maybe they paint a vision on the wall. Usually something vague about "being the best." And purpose? That gets added last. If at all. Usually buried in some investor deck. No wonder 87% of employees don't know why their company exists. Here's what actually works: 1/ Start with PURPOSE. Not profit. Impact. Ask: If we closed tomorrow, what would the world miss? Patagonia nailed it: "We're in business to save our home planet." 2/ Build your VISION on that foundation. Where will your purpose take you in 5 years? Make it specific. Make it measurable. IKEA: "To create a better everyday life for the many people." 3/ Then define your MISSION. The daily work that moves you toward that vision. One sentence. Crystal clear. TED: "Spread ideas." 4/ Layer in real VALUES. Not aspirational nonsense. The actual behaviors you reward and don't tolerate. Netflix: "Freedom & Responsibility" (and they fire for mediocrity). 5/ Only then does CULTURE emerge. Naturally. Authentically. Because everyone knows why they're here. Whole Foods didn't start with culture perks. They started with purpose: conscious capitalism. The "Chief Culture Officers" came later. Build from purpose up, not culture down. Everything else is just expensive theater. P.S. Want a PDF of my 5 Pillars cheat sheet? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dgAGGFzx ♻️ Repost to help a CEO in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more strategy insights. — 📢 Want to lead like a world-class CEO? Join my FREE TRAINING: "The 8 Qualities That Separate World-Class CEOs From Everyone Else" Thu Jul 3rd, 12 noon Eastern / 5pm UK time https://lnkd.in/du2Cyr-v 📌 The CEO Accelerator starts July 23rd. 20+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dE--BU-4

I don’t actually work in finance. I work in trust. Without it, capital markets collapse. Clients walk away. Careers end in minutes. I've watched brilliant finance professionals destroy their careers in minutes.   Not because they lacked technical skills, but because they crossed ethical lines they didn't fully understand.   The CFA Institute Code of Ethics stopped me cold when I first read Standard III.A:   "Members must act for the benefit of their clients and place their clients' interests before their employer's or their own interests."   Before your employer. Before yourself. Always.   In an industry built on conflicts of interest, this isn't just radical. It's revolutionary.   The standards create crystal-clear boundaries: → Market manipulation? Prohibited. → Client suitability? Mandatory assessment. → Conflicts of interest? Full disclosure required. → Material nonpublic information? Can't touch it.   But what really struck me was Standard V.B.5: "Distinguish between fact and opinion."   In a world drowning in financial noise, this simple requirement changes everything.   200,000+ CFA charterholders worldwide have sworn to uphold these standards. Not suggestions. Requirements.   When everyone else chases commissions, you're bound to put clients first.   When others blur the lines, you maintain clear boundaries.   When the industry rewards complexity, you're required to communicate clearly.   Finance without ethics is just sophisticated gambling with other people's money.   But finance with a moral compass? That's how you build trust that compounds over decades.   The Code doesn't make you rich overnight. It makes you trustworthy for life.   And in finance, trust is the only currency that never depreciates.   Every time you're tempted to cut corners, remember: Your reputation takes decades to build and seconds to destroy.   The real edge in finance isn't finding the next alpha. It's earning trust and keeping it. Now, since we are on LinkedIn, I have a question for you: Are today’s finfluencers held to the same ethical standards as CFA charterholders? Should they be?   PS. If you made it this far, ♻️ share this with your network and 🔔 follow my profile!

Culture is everything 🙏🏾 When leaders accept or overlook poor behaviour, they implicitly endorse those actions, potentially eroding the organisation’s values and morale. To build a thriving culture, leaders must actively shape it by refusing to tolerate behaviour that contradicts their values and expectations.
 The best leaders: 
 1. Define and Communicate Core Values: * Articulate Expectations: Clearly define and communicate the organisation’s core values and behavioural expectations. Make these values central to every aspect of the organisation’s operations and culture. * Embed Values in Policies: Integrate these values into your policies, procedures, and performance metrics to ensure they are reflected in daily operations. 
 2. Model the Behaviour You Expect: * Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviour you want to see in others. Your actions should reflect the organisation’s values, from how you interact with employees to how you handle challenges. 3. Address Poor Behaviour Promptly: * Act Quickly: Confront and address inappropriate behaviour as soon as it occurs. Delays in addressing issues can lead to a culture of tolerance for misconduct. * Apply Consistent Consequences: Ensure that consequences for poor behaviour are fair, consistent, and aligned with organisational values. This reinforces that there are clear boundaries and expectations.
 4. Foster a Culture of Accountability: * Encourage Self-Regulation: Promote an environment where everyone is encouraged to hold themselves and others accountable for their actions. * Provide Support: Offer resources and support for employees to understand and align with organisational values, helping them navigate challenges and uphold standards.
 5. Seek and Act on Feedback: * Encourage Open Communication: Create channels for employees to provide feedback on behaviour and organisational culture without fear of reprisal. * Respond Constructively: Act on feedback to address and rectify issues. This shows that you value employee input and are committed to maintaining a positive culture.
 6. Celebrate Positive Behaviour: * Recognise and Reward: Acknowledge and reward employees who exemplify the organisation’s values. Celebrating positive behaviour reinforces the desired culture and motivates others to follow suit. * Share Success Stories: Highlight examples of how upholding values has led to positive outcomes, reinforcing the connection between behaviour and organisational success.
 7. Invest in Leadership Development: * Provide Training: Offer training and development opportunities for leaders at all levels to enhance their skills in managing behaviour and fostering a positive culture. 8. Promote Inclusivity and Respect: * Build a Diverse Environment: Create a culture that respects and values diversity. Inclusivity strengthens the organisational fabric and fosters a more collaborative and supportive work environment.

I've been reflecting on one major trend from last year that I feel will be hard to ignore in 2025: Gen Z’s relationship with brands and social media. This generation doesn’t just consume content, they drive it. And they do so with a level of authenticity and transparency that demands our attention. For Gen Z, brand loyalty isn’t built on flashy ads or influencer endorsements alone. It’s about values. It’s about knowing what the brand stands for and aligning with causes they care about: be it sustainability, inclusivity, or social justice. Here’s how I’ve been thinking about this shift as an entrepreneur: For Gen Z, being true to themselves is really important. They want brands that embrace uniqueness and support personal expression. To connect with them, we need to be authentic and offer products and messages that let them express who they really are. Social Media is the New Word of Mouth: If you’re not engaging in the conversations Gen Z is having on social media, you’re missing out. They trust their peers and online communities more than traditional advertising, and their feedback is immediate and powerful. Experience Over Projection: For this generation, it’s not just about seeing an ad but engaging with a brand in a meaningful way. Whether through personalized experiences, interactive campaigns, or exclusive content, creating a connection is more valuable than ever. Gen Z is not just shaping the future of business but is redefining what it means to build loyalty and trust. Is your brand ready for this shift?

“I’m exhausted of constantly having to prove myself,” my friend confided over coffee last weekend. “I want a place where I can just be myself, where people recognize and value my experience and skills. I'm tired of managing perceptions. I want to focus on what really matters.” Her words echo a common frustration, one that underlines a larger issue. They are a symptom of a deeper problem—a widespread failure to meet a fundamental human need: TO BELONG. We can't be surprised when people fail to bring their best selves to a game they don’t feel part of, can we? So, what does it take to turn this around? 𝐓𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬. If you want to reflect on how good your org is at creating belonging, here are a few simple questions to ask about each of these elements: 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐃 ❓Can employees truly be themselves at work without fear of judgment? ❓ Do they feel seen, known, understood, and accepted by their colleagues? ❓ Is there genuine appreciation for their knowledge, skills, and contributions? 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄 ❓Are employees empowered to make meaningful contributions to projects that matter? ❓ Do they have strong reasons to believe they’d be missed if they were gone? ❓ Are individual efforts recognized in ways that motivate and inspire further growth and contribution? 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 ❓ Do employees feel a deep connection with the core values and mission of the organization? ❓ Are they able to express and pursue their personal values within the framework of the organization? ❓ Is there a sense of pride among the staff about being part of the organization? Asking these questions can reveal a lot about the cultural health of your workplace. These are questions my team and I often ask in our exploration of organizational dynamics, seeking to uncover deeper truths about how companies cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment. #belonging #culture #companyculture

Post 1: IEEE.org AI 7000 standards AI doesn’t just need rules. It needs principles that still hold when the rules break. That’s why I’m writing this series. I still remember when ISO 27001 felt like overkill. Something for the compliance drawer, not the design room. But over time, it gave structure to risk, confidence to decision-makers, and something real for engineers to build on. Now AI is pushing us to make the same leap. Models are going live without scrutiny. Features are being stitched into systems as if they’re harmless. And if you ask, “Can you trust what this thing is doing?”, too often, you just get a shrug. Checklists won’t cut it. We need design that reflects intent. That captures values before it captures logic. That’s where IEEE steps in and its army of talented and motivated volunteers who create and influence its standards The 7000 series isn’t about ethics as decoration. These are design standards. That tackle issues in bias, transparency, privacy, trust, sustainability, and well-being. All the messy, human things that actually matter. They make you ask better questions before the code is live. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be digging into each of these: • IEEE 7000 – Embedding ethics into system design • IEEE 7001 – Transparency in autonomous systems • IEEE 7002 – Privacy in intelligent systems • IEEE 7003 – Tackling algorithmic bias • IEEE P7004 – Protecting children and students • IEEE 7005 – Transparent employer data governance • IEEE 7007 – Ontologies for ethical robotics • IEEE P7008 – Nudging vs. manipulation • IEEE 7009 – Fail-safe autonomous systems • IEEE P7009.1 – Safety interventions in autonomy • IEEE 7010 – Well-being by design • IEEE P7010.1 – ESG and AI systems • IEEE P7011 – Trustworthy news content • IEEE P7012 – Machine-readable privacy terms • IEEE 7014 – Ethical emulated empathy • IEEE P7014.1 – Empathy in general-purpose AI • IEEE P7015 – Data/AI literacy and readiness • IEEE P7016 – Metaverse governance • IEEE P7016.1 – Metadata for XR education • IEEE P7017 – Human-robot interaction • IEEE P7018 – Secure generative AI • IEEE P7019 – Earth Law and AI • IEEE P7100 – Environmental impact of AI • IEEE P8000 – Ethical property specs in AI Not theory. Practice. How these standards guide procurement, audits, development, and governance. And how they work with ISO, not against it. ISO gives you the scaffolding. IEEE gives you the soul. And if you care about building AI systems that last, you need both. Any standard with a “P” in front is still in progress, and open. You can join a working group. Help shape what comes next. (Thanks to John C. Havens, Founding Chair and architect of Ethically aligned Design and IEEE 7000 series) This isn’t about idealism. It’s about being ready, and choosing not to be surprised. Next up: IEEE 7000 - Why values don’t belong at the end of the design process. #AIethics #ResponsibleAI #IEEEstandards #TechGovernance #AIalignment

Mission statements can be great. And they can be terrible. The statements are usually not the problem, it is the way we use them. A well-crafted mission can be one of the most powerful tools an organization has. It can guide decisions when things get messy. It can help people understand what really matters and what does not. It can create coherence between strategy, culture, and daily choices. And it gives a sense of purpose, making working for the organization meaningful. But that only happens if it is treated as something alive and real. Too often, a mission statement is produced as a deliverable: X A slide to be approved. X A paragraph to be put on the website. X A checkbox to be ticked so everyone can move on. That is when language starts drifting. Words become vague. Sentences become inflated. Meaning evaporates. The ten on this visual (from Sabyasachi Sengupta) are clear and unfortunately far from uncommon examples. The irony is that the more important the mission is supposed to be, the less precise it becomes. Because: -> A real mission forces trade offs. -> It makes some choices obvious and others impossible. -> It tells people not only what the organization stands for, but also what it will not do. That requires courage, clarity, and the willingness to be specific, even if that feels uncomfortable. So the question is not whether you have a mission statement. The real question to ask yourself is: does it actually help people decide, act, and align when it matters most?

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. In distributed, remote, & hybrid teams, meetings are key moments where team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about having fewer Zooms. It’s about rewiring your communication norms: ✔️ Do we know when to communicate synchronously vs. asynchronously? ✔️ Are we using async tools that give transparency without constant live check-ins? ✔️ Have we aligned on our team values and expected behaviors? 💡 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count: 1️⃣ Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. We’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: ✔️ Shared team goals ✔️ Defining team member roles ✔️ Agreed-upon behaviors ✔️ Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2️⃣ Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3️⃣ Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for living into the team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention. Excerpt from the Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick

💡 Every executive meeting comes down to trade-offs. Yesterday we found our tiebreaker💡 I sat with our Product team and two other members of our Executive team, going deep on one of our roadmap items and trying to determine where it fit in our Q4 priorities. If you’ve ever been in one of these meetings, you know how it goes: • Many points of view • Plenty of sharp ideas • A healthy dose of agreement and disagreement And rightly so, these conversations matter. They’re about trade-offs and risks. We had to weigh what would best help us grow as a company, what our teams needed to deliver and sell successfully, and what would best enable future product capabilities. So what won in the end? 👉 The promise we’ve made to our customers, rooted in quality and meaningful insights and outcomes. (That’s actually why DISQO is spelled with a “Q.” It stands for Quality.) That customer promise became the tiebreaker that aligned us across different perspectives. It was a small moment, but it made me proud. And it made me reflect: ❓ Of the thousands of decisions made every day across our company, how many are rooted in our value to "Champion the Customer"? That’s the real measure of whether our values are alive in practice, not just on the wall or in a slide deck. Here’s the action plan I’m challenging myself (and others) to follow every day: 1️⃣ Ask the customer question. When making a decision, pause: How does this help deliver better outcomes for our customers? 2️⃣ Use values as the tiebreaker. When trade-offs are hard, let company values decide, not convenience, politics, or ego. 3️⃣ Call it out. Celebrate when decisions reflect values, and respectfully challenge when they don’t. 4️⃣ Repeat daily. The small decisions add up. Every “yes” or “no” shapes whether customers feel our values or not. ✨ Values aren’t tested in easy decisions. They’re tested in the tough trade-offs. Yesterday reminded me: when in doubt, Champion the Customer. That’s how we keep our promises, and that’s how we continue to #CreateTheFuture. #Leadership #CustomerSuccess #ProductManagement #CustomerExperience #Culture #CreateTheFuture

As leaders, the clarity of our vision and mission not only defines the path our organization follows but also the impact we make. The true power of a vision and mission lies far beyond the pages of our strategic plans. They are not just statements; they are the heartbeat of our organization. Here’s how I approach cultivating a leadership style deeply rooted in our vision and mission: Define Clearly: A clear and compelling vision and mission is the starting point. It should not just guide your company's strategic decisions but also inspire every team member to strive for excellence. Communicate Effectively: Regularly communicate the vision and mission through all layers of the organization. This ensures that every employee, from the executive team to the front line, understands not just the 'what' but the 'why' of our daily operations. Align Strategically: Every goal and strategy developed should directly support the vision and mission. This alignment turns abstract concepts into concrete actions, driving the organization forward. Empower Relentlessly: Empower your team by tying their personal and professional growth to the company’s larger objectives. This not only motivates but also embeds the vision and mission into the organizational culture. Celebrate and Learn: Take time to celebrate the milestones while also reflecting on the setbacks. Each success and challenge is an opportunity to reinforce the vision and refine our approach. Review and Revise: The business landscape is ever-evolving, and so should our vision and mission. Regular reviews allow us to stay relevant and responsive to industry changes and internal growth. By embedding our vision and mission in these practical ways, we do more than lead; we inspire. Let's strive not only to achieve our goals but to empower our teams and lead with purpose. #vision #mission #culture #organizationculture #team #growth #LeadwithRajeev #leadership #strategy