Values Operationalisation

Values don’t live in posters. They live in trade-offs. Values operationalisation is the discipline of turning “what we believe” into what we do: decision rules, incentives, hiring signals, partner choices, and the lines you won’t cross when targets tighten. This tag collects essays on the gap between stated values and operational reality — and how to close it without turning it into theatre.

Feb

Black-and-white industrial control panel with rows of switches and cables; one central switch stands out in vivid acid yellow under harsh side lighting

Your Company Runs on an Operating System You Never Designed

Most companies have values on the wall. Very few have values in the operating system. After twenty-five years of watching the gap between the two, I think I know where it breaks. Spoiler: it's not where the consultants are looking.

18 Feb 2026

8 min read

Jan

Empty factory floor with wooden ballot box on metal table, paper slips scattered on ground, black and white industrial photography

Purpose isn't marketing. It's what you're willing to bleed for

Most brands treat purpose as communication. The ones that work treat it as cost. I've seen what it takes to close that gap. Purpose isn't marketing. It's strategy. And strategy requires sacrifice at every level, not just at the top.

12 Jan 2026

7 min read