"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe"
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Statesman
- Date
Values Are Not Virtue Signals: They’re Your Compass
posted in Personal Development
Adam Kreek
Too many professionals confuse values with branding.
They think values are a statement. A slogan. A set of “nice-sounding” words crafted to impress clients, employees, or social media followers. But if your values only exist on a slide deck or pinned LinkedIn post, they’re not values. They’re virtue signals—and that’s not the same thing.
Virtue signals tell the world who you want to be.
Values tell the truth about who you actually are—and where you’re heading next.
Values Are Subconscious Decision Fuel
Inside the ViDA course, we define values this way:
“Values are the innate, deeply held character traits we deem most important in life. They subconsciously guide and motivate our actions, behaviours, decisions, strategies and plans.”
Your values are the compass behind your choices. They determine who you hire, who you fire, what you tolerate, what you pursue, and how you recover after failure. The more consciously you live them, the more energy and alignment you feel. The more unconsciously you operate? The more likely you’ll crash your boat without even knowing why.
And let’s be clear: your values are already driving your life.
The question is whether you’ve chosen them—or inherited them. Integrated them—or ignored them.
The Problem With Virtue Signalling
When we use values to make ourselves look good—rather than act with integrity—we strip them of power.
This is where organizations get into trouble. You’ll see companies proudly post “INTEGRITY” in the lobby while the exec team cuts corners on supplier contracts. You’ll hear teams talk about “BELONGING” in onboarding while rewarding performance at the expense of collaboration.
It’s not that these organizations are lying.
It’s that they’ve confused a statement of aspiration with a system of decision-making.
The cost? Disengagement. Confusion. Cynicism.
People don’t lose faith in your values because they disagree with them.
They lose faith when your actions don’t line up with your claims.
A Compass, Not a Crown
A compass doesn’t care about how shiny you look holding it.
It doesn’t tell you what’s popular. It tells you what’s true—for you. It tells you how to orient your life, your team, and your next decision, even when things feel chaotic.
Your values won’t always make you look good. In fact, the moment you start living them, they might stir conflict.
- If you value generous impact, you’ll eventually confront someone who only values efficient profit.
- If you value ambitious achievement, you might challenge a colleague who prioritizes relational harmony.
- If you value freedom, your structure-loving manager might see you as a threat to the system.
That’s not a sign you’re doing something wrong. It’s a sign you’re living from your values instead of just talking about them.
Virtue is Easy. Values Are Costly.
One of the quickest ways to test whether a value is real or just performative?
Ask this: What does it cost you?
- If you value inclusion, you’ll occasionally turn down a client whose approach doesn’t align.
- If you value truth, you’ll speak up when silence would be easier.
- If you value excellence, you’ll say “no” to the quick win so you can do the right work the right way.
Values without cost are not values.
They’re decoration.
When You Live Your Values, You Feel It
In the ViDA course, I tell the story of training for the Olympics—a time when my ambition was crystal clear. But I burned out hard. Why? Because I wasn’t living my other core values: generous impact and loving connection.
Once I started volunteering in schools and mentoring kids again, something clicked. My energy came back. I felt right.
That’s what values do.
They don’t just tell you what to do—they restore your vitality.
Final Thought
You don’t need more words. You need more alignment.
So before you post your company values on the wall, the web, or the next all-hands deck, ask:
- Do we actually behave this way?
- Where are we in conflict with our stated values?
- Are we willing to act in alignment—even when it costs us?
Because values aren’t branding.
They’re the invisible system that makes everything else work.
They’re not your signal. They’re your compass. Use them accordingly.
–––––
Adam Kreek and his team are on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.
He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen.
Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about Kreek’s coaching here.
Want to book a keynote that leaves a lasting impact? Learn more about Kreek’s live event service here.