Culture isn’t what companies say it is – it’s what actually happens when no one’s watching.

Adam Grant’s observation hits hard: “Company value statements are mostly empty promises: they’re uncorrelated with people’s experiences at work. Pay no attention to the glitz in front of the curtain. Culture is how people behave – and what gets rewarded and punished.” This reveals the company values reality gap within many organizations.

This disconnect between proclaimed values and lived reality creates a credibility crisis that undermines employee trust and organizational effectiveness.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Corporate Values

Most company value statements read like wishful thinking rather than accurate reflections of organizational behavior. Leaders craft these statements based on aspirational ideals rather than honest self-assessment of current practices.

Consider the common claim about career advancement opportunities. Companies frequently tout their commitment to employee growth and development. Yet behind the scenes, promotion systems often operate on subjective “gut feelings” rather than objective criteria. Training programs may be inadequate or nonexistent. Success becomes less about qualifications and more about networking and personal connections.

This creates a system where the most qualified candidates may be overlooked in favor of those who’ve mastered internal politics. The result is frustrated employees who feel deceived by promises that don’t align with their actual experiences.

Why Values Disconnect from Reality

These incongruences between stated and lived values rarely happen intentionally. Organizations often face competing priorities, resource constraints, and entrenched systems that make it difficult to align behavior with ideals.

The disconnect typically stems from:

• Leadership isolation from frontline experiences
• Lack of measurement systems for values-based behaviors
• Pressure to maintain positive narratives regardless of reality
• Insufficient feedback mechanisms from employees

Four Strategies to Bridge the Values Gap

1. Ask the Right Questions to the Right People

The most valuable insights come from employees closest to daily operations. Frontline workers experience the gap between stated values and actual practices most directly.

Create structured opportunities for honest dialogue. Ask specific questions about how values play out in real situations. Remember that employees may initially filter their responses, so patience and persistence are essential.

The key is creating psychological safety where people feel comfortable sharing uncomfortable truths without fear of retaliation.

2. Engage Middle Management Directly

Middle managers occupy a unique position between leadership vision and operational reality. They witness firsthand how policies translate into practice and how employees respond to organizational initiatives.

Schedule regular conversations with managers about what they’re hearing from their teams. These discussions require establishing trust and demonstrating that honest feedback is valued over positive spin.

Managers often possess critical insights about systemic issues that prevent values alignment, but they need permission to share these observations candidly.

3. Monitor Unfiltered External Feedback

Online platforms like Reddit and industry forums provide unvarnished employee perspectives that internal surveys might miss. While these sources can be harsh, they often reveal patterns that deserve attention.

Resist the urge to defend or debunk negative feedback immediately. Instead, look for recurring themes and common concerns across multiple sources. This external feedback can illuminate blind spots that internal processes might miss.

Use this information as diagnostic data rather than public relations challenges to manage.

4. Establish an Independent Advisory Group

Winston Churchill’s approach during World War II offers a valuable model. He created a separate advisory group specifically tasked with providing unfiltered information, recognizing that most people tell leaders what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear.

Form a cross-functional team with explicit permission to challenge assumptions and surface uncomfortable truths. Give this group direct access to leadership and protection from potential backlash.

The advisory group’s role is to serve as an early warning system for values misalignment before it becomes a larger organizational problem.

Moving Forward with Authenticity

Addressing the gap between stated and lived values requires courage to confront uncomfortable realities. Organizations must be willing to either change their practices to match their stated values or adjust their value statements to reflect actual priorities.

The goal isn’t perfect alignment overnight, but rather honest acknowledgment of current state and commitment to continuous improvement. Employees can respect organizations that admit their shortcomings and work actively to address them.

True organizational culture emerges from consistent behaviors, not carefully crafted statements. When companies align their actions with their words, they build the trust and credibility necessary for long-term success.

The question isn’t whether your organization has perfect values – it’s whether you’re honest enough to examine the gap and committed enough to close it.

Understanding Leadership Dissonance: Key Insights for Leaders

Other articles to consider:

Gustavo Razzetti – All Talk, No Action: Why Company Values Have Lost Their True Value