Building a cohesive culture and a shared purpose across a remote-first company is no easy feat. It takes effort and dedication to create something meaningful, which reflects the wider team’s views, beliefs and ‘modus operandi.’

At LeisureLabs, we saw the creation of our core values as a perfect opportunity to bring our globally dispersed team together and uncover what matters to them.

Step 1: Refining Definitions

We invited each team member to contribute. They reviewed a list of 20+ core values provided by LeisureLabs’ founders Alex Peacock & Charles Njoku. If they weren’t comfortable with the definition of a value, they were asked to refine it to something more meaningful to them. The diverse definitions we received were a testament to the varied perspectives within our team and ensured everyone had a voice.

Step 2: Sharing and Discussion

Once all contributions were in, the proposed values were shared with the wider group. This transparency allowed everyone to see the collective input and allowed team members to dive a level deeper into the interpretation of each value. The open sharing of values sparked meaningful discussions, as we delved into why each value was important and how it aligned with our mission.

Step 3: Ranking and Rationalising

Once each value was clearly defined, to prioritise the values, each team member was asked to rank them in order of importance to them. Alongside their rankings, they provided written rationales explaining their decisions. This revealed the reasons behind their choices and highlighted the most resonant values across the team.

Step 4: Collaborative Review

The final step in our process was a virtual meeting where we reviewed the highest-ranked values, across all team members. This collaborative session allowed us to discuss the rankings, reconcile any differences, and ensure that the chosen values truly reflected our collective ethos. It was an enriching experience, as we not only refined our values but also deepened our understanding of what each member deemed important.

The Result: Our Core Values

Through this inclusive process, we identified the values that form the bedrock of LeisureLabs today.

Integrity
We act with honesty, transparency, and high ethical standards.

Customer focus
We choose our customers carefully, and strive to turn them into our greatest advocates.

Outcome oriented
We focus on delivering tangible, forward-thinking and effective results in all projects.

Quality
We commit to excellence in every aspect of service and product delivery.

Teamwork
We build the best teams, and foster a culture of respect and collaboration towards a common goal.

Reflecting on the Process

LeisureLabs’ core values creation process was super important as it not only helped us identify what was important to each team member but also highlighted what is crucial to our collective identity at LeisureLabs. By actively involving everyone and valuing their input, we ensured that our values are not just words on paper but principles that each of us believes in and stands behind.