How many company values should we have?

Four to six is the sweet spot. Fewer than four often leaves real cultural priorities unstated; more than six and no one can remember them, which means they stop guiding decisions. A tight set forces you to choose what actually matters, and a memorable list is the only kind people will ever act on.

Why attach behavioral examples to each value?

A value name like 'integrity' means nothing on its own — every company claims it. Concrete, observable behaviors turn an abstract word into something you can hire for, give feedback on, and recognize. 'We share bad news early, even when it's awkward' is actionable; 'we value honesty' is wallpaper.

What is an anti-pattern and why include one?

An anti-pattern is the behavior that quietly violates a value while looking acceptable. Naming it sharpens the value by drawing a clear line — it tells people not just what to do but what crosses into the opposite. Values without anti-patterns get diluted until they justify almost anything; the contrast keeps them honest.

How do we make values authentic rather than generic?

Write them from how your best people actually behave and the hard trade-offs you genuinely make, not from a list of admirable-sounding words. A real value implies a cost — it would lead you to turn down some revenue, hire, or shortcut. If a value could appear unchanged on any competitor's wall, it isn't yours.

Where should the values document live?

Everywhere decisions and behavior happen: the employee handbook, onboarding, the careers page, performance reviews, and recognition. Values that live only on a poster are decoration. The ones that shape a company are referenced when hiring, giving feedback, and making trade-offs, so put the document where those moments occur.

Company Values Statement Builder

Email me this result

Get this tool's output sent to your inbox, plus one useful tool a week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Values that guide behavior, not decorate a wall

Most company values are interchangeable nouns — integrity, excellence, passion — that no one could act on or be held to. Values that actually shape a culture name specific behaviors, imply a real cost, and draw a clear line against the anti-pattern. This builder helps you write four to six values where each carries a concrete definition, observable behaviors, and the failure mode to avoid.

How it works

For each value you define a few parts, and the tool assembles them into a clean values document:

Name        — the value, in your own words
Definition  — one concrete sentence of what it means here
Behaviors   — 2-3 observable actions that show it
Anti-pattern— the behavior that quietly violates it

The definition turns a one-word value into something specific to your company. The behavioral examples make it hireable and coachable — you can recognize the value in action and give feedback when it’s missing. The anti-pattern draws the line on the other side, keeping the value from being diluted until it justifies anything. The tool keeps the set in the memorable four-to-six range and exports it as Markdown for your handbook or careers page.

Tips for values that hold up

Pressure-test each value with a cost: if living it would never lead you to turn down revenue, a hire, or a shortcut, it’s a slogan, not a value. Write behaviors as things an outside observer could see happening, not feelings. And keep the list short — six memorable values that guide real decisions beat a dozen admirable words no one can recall when it counts.