Too many company values statements are generic business clichés that don’t actually inspire people. If you want employees to remember and deliver on your company values, repeating them frequently isn’t the answer—you need to design a values statement that employees will find memorable and resonant in the first place. Here are some ways to do it.

First, get creative about how you frame your values. Instead of calling them your “corporate values,” try credo, pledge, tenets, maxim, or something else. Find a framing device that feels true to your organization.

Next, be brief. Try not to list more than four values. Stick to the ones that are absolutely foundational to your purpose—and avoid obvious virtues like “honesty” that should apply to everyone.

Then, make them memorable. Put the most critical values in the first and last positions on your list. And if you can use alliteration or spell out a word with the first letters of your values, even better.

Finally, use distinctive language. Steer clear of clichés at all costs.. Be original and unmistakable, incorporating bold language, imperatives, and even interrogatives.
This tip is adapted from “How to Create Company Values That Actually Resonate,” by Shawn Pope and Arild Wæraas
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