Corporate culture is not built by posters on the wall—it lives in our daily behaviors, the decisions we make, and the stories we share. As organizational theorist Edgar Schein points out, corporate culture consists of three layers: visible artifacts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions. Among these, values serve as a bridge between employees’ search for meaning and a company’s strategic goals.
For companies striving to build a high-performance culture today, values are not just guiding principles—they are also a unifying force. When embraced by all employees, values increase engagement and support sustainable growth. But this internalization cannot be achieved through documents or presentations alone. It happens through lived examples, authentic leadership stories, and meaningful interactions.
In this context, a company-wide interactive event titled “Discovering and Reviving Our Values Workshop” offers a powerful way to keep your culture alive and ensure your values are passed down to future generations. This one-day experience invites employees to explore their personal values, connect them with real-life stories, and share them with their peers.
The morning begins with each participant identifying and explaining a value that matters most to them. This individual discovery is then enriched by leaders who share impactful examples of how company values have guided successful decisions and behaviors.
During the late morning, teams are formed to explore company values through storytelling. Each participant shares a real-life story connected to a specific value, and one story is selected by each group to be brought to life through a short performance. This not only strengthens team dynamics but also reveals how values manifest in everyday work.
The afternoon “Value Theater” allows teams to dramatize their selected stories, encouraging creativity, empathy, and deep engagement. The interactive nature of the performances—where other groups guess which value is represented—helps embed the meaning of each value more deeply.
To close the day, participants reflect on what they’ve learned and exchange insights with one another. These personal reflections turn values into something more than abstract principles—they become part of a shared, living organizational narrative.
We must remember that every corporate culture is a collection of stories. Shaped by the beliefs of founding leaders, that culture stays alive only if those stories are remembered, shared, and renewed. This workshop helps bring those stories to the surface and ensures they are carried forward.
A Call to CEOs and HR Leaders:
Let’s not just say “we have values.” Let’s explore them, bring them to life, and live them—together. Because values that are lived are the foundation of lasting success.
