Let’s face it – values and culture often get a bad rap. Are they essential cornerstones of organisational success, or just overhyped management fluff? Paul Sweeney certainly doesn’t pull any punches in his brilliant book, Magnetic Nonsense: A Short History of Bullshit at Work and How to Make it Go Away. He takes a scalpel to bloated cultural initiatives and values-washing that only amplify corporate mediocrity.
And honestly, I agree with almost everything he says.
Far too often, values lack substance. They’re not grounded in reality. You can practically carbon-date a company’s values by their trendy, buzzword-filled language – much like ageing a horse by its teeth. Words like ‘sustainability’ and ‘diversity’ are undeniably important, but when they’re treated as empty signifiers rather than deeply held principles, they’re meaningless. It’s a concise, predictable lexicon that undermines credibility.
As Paul rightly points out, “so much energy, focus, and time is wasted when other things – like delivering for the customer – continue to be predictably mediocre.” But here’s the thing. When they’re real, values are anything but a distraction.
In fact, they can be the foundation for true excellence: efficiency, customer focus, and pride in a job well done. Values should act as a guiding compass, not a vanity project.
Of course, there’s a fine line between aspirational and delusional. That’s why, when I work with organisations, I emphasise three guiding principles: Dig deep, Aim high, Be true.
So yes, I’m largely on team Sweeney. There’s no point having values that:
❌ Aren’t truly yours – just the same tired, empty words
🎯 Aren’t aligned with your goals and purpose
🧠 Ignore the realities of your people or market
✔️ Aren’t lived out in ways that drive genuine performance
It’s time to ditch the empty rhetoric and create values that actually matter – values that inspire, guide, and deliver results.
If you’re looking to explore how values can truly transform your organisation, my book, Values Have Power: Use Them Well, dives deep into how to align your culture with purpose and build trust that fuels success.
What do you think? Are your values the foundation for growth, or just another management tick-box exercise? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear your thoughts.