Three Core Values to Set Up an Organization for Success

Hans de Leenheer argues that a company's culture hinges on three concrete values. The first, "the time for change is always," forces leaders to abandon sunk-cost thinking and kill initiatives that no longer serve the future, even if they required heavy investment. He shows how this mindset keeps metrics focused on outcomes rather than output speed and encourages small-scale experiments that discard unnecessary scope without sacrificing quality. The second value, "we already have permission," builds a safe environment for initiative. By asking team members to self-evaluate the impact of their decisions before seeking approval, leaders shift from gate-keeping to coaching, reducing endless discussions and accelerating execution. De Leenheer backs this with anecdotes of his team moving from constant permission-seeking to autonomous decision-making. The third value, "we deliver the best we can," is not an excuse for mediocrity but a commitment to continuous improvement. It creates a feedback loop where both individuals and teams openly call out sub-par performance without blame, leading to higher quality releases, fewer bugs, and better mental health. He ties this back to measurable outcomes like higher employee satisfaction and lower burnout, illustrating how a clear values framework can be surveyed and iterated on. Finally, he provides a practical survey template covering satisfaction, work-life balance, psychological safety, DEI, and alignment with the three values. The data-driven approach lets leaders diagnose cultural drift and adjust the dials before problems become entrenched.