146. If They Don't Align, They Don't Stay: The Core-Values Wake-up Call

Growth Coordinator
May 5
4 min read

Let’s just say it upfront: core values are not just cute words on a wall.

Because if they are? You’re doing it wrong.

In this week’s episode of Hustled Up, we’re getting real (like really real) about something that recently got put to the test in our business — and that’s core values.

Not the fluffy, “this sounds nice on a website” version… but the kind that actually guides your decisions, shapes your culture, and forces you to make some hard calls.

And trust us — we’ve had to make some hard calls lately.

What Core Values Actually Are (And What They’re Not)

Let’s clear something up real quick.

Core values are NOT:

Random words you picked because they sound good
Something you create once and forget about
Just for your website or onboarding docs

Core values ARE:

Your decision-making framework
Your culture standard
Your non-negotiables

They should influence:

Who you hire
Who you fire
Which clients do you keep
How your team operates
How you show up as a leader

If your core values aren’t actively being used in your business… they’re just decoration.

The Mistake We Made (And Maybe You Are Too)

We’re gonna be honest here — we dropped the ball.

We had core values. We believed in them.

But we weren’t reinforcing them.

We weren’t talking about them consistently. We weren’t using them to make decisions.

And guess what happened?

Our team couldn’t even name them. 😅

That was our wake-up call.

Because if your team doesn’t know your core values… they don’t exist.

Our Core Values (And Why They Matter)

We use the acronym CHORES (because obviously 😂):

Charity
Honesty
Open communication
Reliability
Excellence
Selflessness

Here’s the thing — each one isn’t just a word. It’s a standard.

Charity → giving back, making an impact beyond the business

Honesty → non-negotiable integrity, always

Open communication → no guessing, no fear, no silence

Reliability → do what you say you’re going to do

Excellence → high standards without chasing perfection

Selflessness → putting people first (within reason)

And the biggest lesson?

You don’t get to pick and choose which ones matter.

It’s not “they’re great but…”

It’s all or nothing.

You Can’t Ignore Misalignment (Even If You Like the Person)

This one stings a little.

Because sometimes you’ll have someone who:

Is super reliable

Is great at their job

Shows up consistently

…but they’re dishonest.

Or they don’t communicate.

Or they don’t align with your culture.

And it’s so tempting to keep them because they’re “good enough.”

But here’s the truth:

Good enough will slowly destroy your culture.

One misaligned person can:

Lower team morale
Create resentment
Erode trust
Impact your client experience

Core values only work if you enforce them — even when it’s uncomfortable.

Let’s Talk Red Flags 🚩

Most of the time, misalignment doesn’t come out of nowhere. You’ll notice things like:

Lack of communication
Excuses or blame shifting
Low accountability
A shift in energy or effort
Just a gut feeling that something’s off

And here’s your reminder:

👉 Your gut is usually right.

Ignoring it doesn’t make the problem go away — it just makes it more expensive later.

The Cost of Waiting Too Long

This was one of our biggest takeaways from this episode:

The longer you wait… the worse it gets.

When you:

Avoid the conversation

Delay setting boundaries

Let things slide “just this once”

You’re teaching people what’s acceptable.

And when you finally decide to enforce a boundary?

It feels like it came out of nowhere… to them.

Even though it’s been building for you.

That’s where frustration, pushback, and conflict come in.

Whether it’s a team member or a client —if something is off, address it early.

Yes… Even Your Clients Need to Align

Hot take: the customer is not always right. 👀

We said what we said. Your clients also need to align with your core values.

That means:

Respecting your time

Communicating clearly

Honoring your policies

Valuing your service

If they’re constantly:

Canceling

Rescheduling

Ignoring boundaries

That’s a reliability issue.

And if you allow it? It becomes a you problem.

Because now you’ve set the standard that it’s okay.

How to Actually Implement Core Values

Let’s make this practical 👇

Bake them into your onboarding
Don’t just list them — explain them. Show what they look like in action.
Talk about them constantly
Team meetings, check-ins, and everyday conversations. They should be part of your language.
Use them in performance reviews
Evaluate your team based on how they align with each value.
Call them out in real time
When someone does align with a core value — celebrate it. Loudly.
Hire for values, not just skill
Skills can be taught. Alignment cannot.
Make decisions through them
Hiring, firing, client boundaries — run it all through your core values filter.