Core Values Scorecard: How Does Your Company Stack Up?
Barry Raber is president of Carefree RV Storage, a Portland Entrepreneur of the Year and shares business secrets at realsimplebusiness.org.
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Jan 12, 2024, 08:15am EST
Core values can play a pivotal role in shaping a company’s destiny. I have seen cases where impactful core values helped companies become wildly successful, a few where they had little or no effect, and some where they hindered success.
To widen my perspective, I collected examples from 30 companies: I sent a request out to the members of a networking group I am part of, and 25 members sent their core values to me. The businesses all have at least $1 million in revenue, and some have as much as $40 million. I also looked up five national household names online.
My first impression? Wow: No two sets of core values were even close to each other—they’re almost as unique as fingerprints.
First, let’s define what makes a great core value.
Values must be authentic and unique to your company, not one-word cookie-cutter values like “trust” that leave unwanted wiggle room for interpretation. Enhance each value’s meaning with a clear, creative, concise definition that explains what it means for your company in practical terms that anyone can understand. One strong example? “Wow the client.”
With that in mind, I studied the sample pool. Some were really good; others were decidedly not. Finally, a clear division emerged. I came up with a 10-point scoring system to assess and rate core values. The results:
• Score of 9-10 points: 37% of companies.
• Score of 6-7 points: 30% of companies.
• Score of 0-4 points: 33% of companies.
(Note that due to the scoring method, it is not possible to get 5 or 8 points.)
The next obvious question:
Are the companies with top scores "better" than those with low scores?
That question is even more subjective than the idea of scoring values—because what does “better” even mean?
Here are some values that scored high from the sample pool:
• We inspire 5-star reviews.
• Dedicated (x 1,000,000).
• Foster happiness.
• Collaborate and share the credit.
And some that scored low:
• Authenticity.
• Balance.
• Fun.
• Trust.
• Liberated.
It’s possible to score low on core values and still do well in business. A company can be bad at values but compensate in other areas. The leader’s charismatic personality can drive the company forward, or its product offering could be so strong that values take a backseat.
Of the five household-name samples I reviewed, one of them, Facebook, scored in the bottom third—a good example of how you might score low but overcome it with first-mover advantage, strong founder personality and some tech.
The strongest correlation I noticed: Top-scoring companies often have “flow,” meaning more success with less effort, discord or controversy—and a fairly smooth ride to the top. Their teams seem aligned, rowing in the same direction with company leadership. I noticed that newer companies with great values experienced success very quickly. By comparison, companies like Facebook have often endured setbacks, including internal issues and public/customer discord.
The bottom group has to work harder to overcome challenges, higher turnover and a zig-zagging trajectory. They are also usually more reliant on the company’s leader, adding stress for that person.
How is the core values scorecard implemented?
Here’s how I scored them.
1. Are there four or five total values—no fewer, no more?
If yes, award 3 points.
Employees need to resonate with company core values deeply, genuinely and personally. Their innate personal values must match the company’s values. You should only hire people who match your values, but that gets rarer the bigger you grow. It would be impossible to find 50 people who all share seven values personally plus possess the specific skills required for each role.
But it is totally possible with four values. Also, hiring to match core values and building recognition programs around them becomes overwhelming with more than five values. Conversely, I've found that any less than four values is not enough to be distinctive.
2. Are the values active or action-oriented, either future or current tense, but never just one word?
If yes, award 3 points.
A single word is too vague and open to interpretation. It’s surprising how many different ways people can interpret, for example, the term “pride.” Instead of pride, craft a more specific statement such as, “We deliver solutions we can be proud of.” Instead of “customer service,” add action: “Wow the client.”
3. Are at least half of the values about the customer, how you treat or serve them and how you deliver unique value to them?
If yes, award 3 points.
When a company’s values are all about what employees have in common or how you work together, you’re not putting enough focus on serving customers to create flow toward revenue growth, customer satisfaction and company success. No company exists entirely for the benefit of its employees; by definition, companies serve customers.
4. Have you clearly defined your values with an explanation of what the company intends each value to represent?
If yes, award 1 point.
Even with straightforward and simple values, an explanation that elaborates on behaviors, actions or additional context is beneficial, especially when it comes to hiring and reinforcing it.
How did you score?
If you’re at the top, does your company accomplish goals relatively easily thanks to its well-defined values? Do you hire individuals with shared values? Is your company clearly successful?
If you scored low, do you notice that your company’s direction and people don’t always seem cohesive and aligned? Might it be worth tweaking your values?
Core values can be super powerful. They possess the potential to drive your company to tremendous success. If your values stack up well, congrats—enjoy the ride. If they don’t, it’s worth the hard work to perform a redux and unleash the power of core values done right.
Barry Raber, is an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Member, CEO of Business Property Trust, a Portland, Oregon, company that owns and manages RV storage through Carefree Covered RV Storage and self-storage through Bargain Storage. He is also a thought leader who shares experiences for businesses at Real Simple Business.
FAQ: Core Values Scorecard — How Does Your Company Stack Up?
What is a core values scorecard?
A core values scorecard is a structured framework for evaluating how strong or weak a company's core values are — based on objective criteria rather than gut feel. Barry Raber developed a 10-point scoring system after collecting and analyzing the core values of 30 companies, ranging from $1 million to $40 million in annual revenue, plus five national household name brands. The scorecard reveals whether your values are likely to drive alignment, culture, and business success — or whether they're generic placeholders that aren't moving the needle.
How do you score your company's core values?
The scorecard has four criteria, worth a combined 10 points:
Are there four or five total values — no fewer, no more? → 3 points
Are the values active or action-oriented, in current or future tense, and never just one word? → 3 points
Are at least half of the values about the customer — how you serve them and deliver unique value? → 3 points
Have you clearly defined each value with an explanation of what it means in practical terms? → 1 point
Note: due to the structure of the scoring system, scores of 5 or 8 are not possible. You'll land at 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, or 10.
What do the scores mean?
Based on Raber's analysis of 30 companies:
9–10 points: Top tier — 37% of companies scored here. These companies tend to have well-aligned teams, clear direction, and a smoother path to success.
6–7 points: Middle tier — 30% of companies scored here. Decent values, but room for meaningful improvement.
0–4 points: Bottom tier — 33% of companies scored here. These companies often experience more internal discord, higher turnover, and zig-zagging progress.
Why should a company have exactly four or five core values?
Four to five is the sweet spot for memorability, alignment, and practical use. Here's why the number matters: you should only hire people who genuinely share your values — but finding 50 people who all share seven values and have the specific skills each role requires becomes nearly impossible as you grow. Four values makes that goal achievable. On the other end, fewer than four values isn't enough to be sufficiently distinctive or to capture the full range of who your company is. More than five, and the values become impossible to consistently hire around or build recognition programs from.
Why must core values be action-oriented and never just one word?
Single-word values are too vague — they leave too much room for interpretation, which defeats the entire purpose of having values in the first place. Consider the word "pride": a dozen employees will understand it a dozen different ways. Compare that to "We deliver solutions we can be proud of" — now everyone knows what behavior is expected. Raber's rule: replace the noun with an action statement. Instead of "customer service," write "Wow the client." The verb does the work that the abstract noun cannot. Values should tell people what to do, not just what to be.
Why should at least half of your core values focus on the customer?
Because companies exist to serve customers — not exclusively to define how employees work together internally. When all of a company's values describe internal behaviors ("we collaborate," "we're honest with each other," "we have fun"), the customer disappears from the equation. Values that focus on how you treat and serve customers, and how you deliver unique value to them, create the "flow" toward revenue growth and customer satisfaction that top-scoring companies consistently experience. Internal culture matters, but it should ultimately be in service of the customer experience.
What are examples of high-scoring core values?
From Raber's research, values that scored at the top include:
"We inspire five-star reviews"
"Dedicated (x 1,000,000)"
"Foster happiness"
"Collaborate and share the credit"
These earn high scores because they're specific, active, memorable, and customer-oriented. You can immediately picture the behavior they're asking for — and they're distinct enough that they couldn't belong to just any company.
What are examples of low-scoring core values?
Values that scored poorly in the research:
"Authenticity"
"Balance"
"Fun"
"Trust"
"Liberated"
These fail because they're single words that every company could claim, they describe nothing specific about behavior, and they're entirely self-focused rather than customer-focused. They offer no guidance for hiring decisions, no benchmark for performance reviews, and no meaningful distinction from competitors.
Why do value definitions matter if the values themselves are clear?
Even a strong, well-worded value benefits from a written definition — because definitions make values actionable and hirable. When you're bringing on a new employee, you need to be able to explain not just what the value says, but what it looks like in practice: what behaviors it encourages, what situations it applies to, and what it means for how your company operates day to day. Without a definition, values are open to the same interpretive drift that single-word values suffer from. The definition closes that gap.
Do companies with low-scoring core values always perform worse?
Not always — and Raber is honest about this. It's possible to score low on core values and still succeed in business. A charismatic founder, an exceptionally strong product, or a first-mover advantage can compensate. As a striking example: Facebook scored in the bottom third of Raber's sample, yet overcame it through first-mover advantage, a powerful founder personality, and dominant technology. However, the correlation is real: top-scoring companies tend to have more "flow" — more success with less effort, more internal alignment, and a faster ramp for newer companies. Low-scoring companies tend to experience higher turnover, more internal discord, more dependence on the leader, and a more erratic path.
What does "flow" mean in the context of core values?
Raber uses "flow" to describe a state where a company achieves its goals relatively smoothly, with less friction, conflict, and wasted effort. When a company's core values are strong and genuinely lived, the team is aligned and rowing in the same direction. Decisions are easier because everyone shares the same framework. Hiring is more accurate because you know exactly what you're looking for. Culture reinforces itself because the values describe real behaviors that get recognized and rewarded. That alignment creates momentum, and momentum creates flow.
How does the core values scorecard connect to hiring?
Directly. Raber's view is that you should only hire people whose personal values genuinely align with the company's values. The scorecard matters for hiring because the qualities it measures — specificity, action-orientation, customer focus, and clear definitions — are exactly what makes values useful as a hiring filter. Vague, generic values ("integrity," "balance") can't meaningfully differentiate candidates. Clear, behavioral values ("We inspire five-star reviews") give you something concrete to screen for in interviews and to reference when assessing cultural fit.
What should I do if my company scores low on the core values scorecard?
Use it as the starting point for a values overhaul, not a judgment. Raber's recommendation: if your score is low, it's worth doing the hard work to revisit and rewrite your values. The process doesn't have to start from scratch. Often the right behaviors and attitudes already exist in your company culture, and the work is surfacing them and writing them in a way that's specific, active, and customer-oriented. His companion article, Compelling Core Values with This Step-by-Step Guide, walks through the full process for doing exactly that.
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