After years of working with different teams, I’ve identified four values that consistently correlate with both company success and employee satisfaction:
- Openness
- Autonomy
- Curiosity
- Transparency
Openness
Focus on results, not process. When outcomes are visible to everyone—inside and outside the company—we can optimize for what actually matters. The where, when, and how of work matter less than what gets delivered.
Clear, open metrics let teams see their impact and course-correct quickly.
Autonomy
Trust people to choose where, when, and how they work. This creates async-first communication cultures that scale globally and attract talent that values ownership over oversight.
Curiosity
Great teams never stop learning. When curiosity is a core value, people experiment, innovate, and grow. In a landscape that changes constantly, learning isn’t optional—it’s survival.
Transparency
Information asymmetry breeds distrust. Open books and open salaries create environments where people collaborate instead of compete.
Inspired by Open Collective and DHH.