I’ve reviewed about 30 “core values list” articles in the last year. They all follow the same format: 200+ words in alphabetical order, starting with Accountability and ending with Wisdom. Some add a one-sentence definition next to each word.
That’s not useful. That’s a dictionary.
When a CEO tells me they want to define their core values, they don’t need a longer word list. They need a framework for recognizing which words on that list actually match the person they already are and the company they’re trying to build.
That’s what this resource does. It’s organized by category, not alphabet. Each category includes both single-word values and the phrase-based versions that are actually useful in daily leadership. And at the end, I’ll show you how to use this list without falling into the trap that kills most values exercises.
One important note before you scroll: if you haven’t read the complete guide to defining your core values, start there. The list below is a narrowing tool, not a brainstorming tool. You should already have a rough sense of your patterns before you scan these categories. Otherwise you’ll pick the values that sound impressive instead of the ones that are actually yours.
How to Use This List (Read This First)
Most people use a values list wrong. They scan 200 words, circle the ones that sound good, and end up with a list of 15 “core values” that are really just adjectives they’d like to be associated with.
Here’s how to use this list instead:
Step 1: Before you look at any category, write down your answers to these three questions. What did I protect in my last three hard decisions? What behavior do I refuse to tolerate, even from top performers? When I’m at my best as a leader, what am I doing?
Step 2: Now scan the categories below. Don’t read every word. Look for the categories that match your answers from Step 1. Go deep on those. Skip the rest.
Step 3: For every value that catches your attention, apply the cost test. Has this ever cost me something? Money, a relationship, comfort, revenue? If the answer is no, move on. That value is aspirational, not core.
Step 4: Narrow to three for your company. Three to five for yourself. If you can’t get below seven, you haven’t been honest enough yet.
For the full step-by-step process, I’ve written a dedicated guide on how to define your core values.
Category 1: Integrity and Character Values
These are about who you are when nobody is watching and the stakes are high.
Single-word values: Integrity, Honesty, Authenticity, Transparency, Ethics, Honor, Trustworthiness, Sincerity, Reliability, Consistency, Accountability, Responsibility, Fairness, Justice, Truthfulness, Humility, Dignity, Virtue, Morality, Conscience
Phrase-based versions (more useful):
- “Say the hard thing early.”
- “Do what you said you’d do, or communicate immediately when you can’t.”
- “Lead with the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
- “Own the mistake before anyone else finds it.”
- “If you wouldn’t explain it to your team, don’t do it.”
- “Be the same person in the boardroom and the break room.”
Who this category fits: Leaders whose biggest frustration is when people cut corners, hide mistakes, or say one thing and do another. If the Peter situation from my time at Arcules resonates with you (20% turnover from a manager who was technically brilliant but operated without transparency), integrity values are likely in your top three.
Category 2: Growth and Achievement Values
These are about pushing limits, raising standards, and refusing to settle.
Single-word values: Growth, Ambition, Achievement, Excellence, Mastery, Improvement, Progress, Success, Drive, Determination, Perseverance, Discipline, Grit, Tenacity, Diligence, Performance, Productivity, Competence, Expertise, Resourcefulness
Phrase-based versions:
- “Better today than yesterday. Every day.”
- “Ship it better than expected, every time.”
- “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”
- “Fast and 90% right beats slow and 95% right.”
- “Comfort is the enemy of growth.”
- “Measure everything that matters. Improve what you measure.”
Who this category fits: Founders who get restless when things plateau. The CEO who gets frustrated not when the team fails, but when they stop trying to improve. If you’ve ever torn apart a process that was “working fine” because you knew it could be better, these are your values.
Category 3: People and Relationship Values
These are about how you treat people and how you expect to be treated.
Single-word values: Compassion, Empathy, Kindness, Respect, Care, Generosity, Loyalty, Support, Trust, Belonging, Connection, Collaboration, Teamwork, Service, Inclusion, Diversity, Appreciation, Gratitude, Forgiveness, Patience
Phrase-based versions:
- “Protect the people who protect the mission.”
- “No brilliant jerks. Culture beats individual talent.”
- “Build leaders, not followers.”
- “Invest in people before they’ve proven they deserve it.”
- “Everyone gets a voice. Not everyone gets a vote.”
- “The person across the table is someone’s parent, partner, or kid.”
Who this category fits: Leaders who build fierce loyalty. The CEO whose team follows them from company to company. If you’re the founder who fired a profitable client because they were disrespectful to your team, people values are likely core for you. This is the category I discovered as my deepest value at Arcules. Building leaders mattered more to me than building a company. I just didn’t have the language for it until I did the work. For a practical framework on making people values operational rather than decorative, see how to embed core values in the workplace as a daily management tool.
Category 4: Innovation and Creativity Values
These are about pushing boundaries, challenging assumptions, and building new things.
Single-word values: Innovation, Creativity, Curiosity, Imagination, Vision, Originality, Experimentation, Exploration, Discovery, Ingenuity, Invention, Disruption, Adaptability, Agility, Flexibility, Openness, Evolution, Transformation, Boldness, Risk-taking
Phrase-based versions:
- “If it worked last year, question it this year.”
- “Move fast, iterate faster.”
- “We’d rather be wrong and learn than right and stagnant.”
- “The biggest risk is not taking one.”
- “Challenge the premise before accepting the conclusion.”
- “What got us here won’t get us there.”
Who this category fits: The founder who gets energized by problems, not stressed by them. The CEO who looks at a crowded market and sees an angle nobody else noticed. If you’ve ever killed a successful product or process because you saw something better, innovation is core for you.
Category 5: Freedom and Independence Values
These are about autonomy, self-direction, and the space to do your best work.
Single-word values: Freedom, Independence, Autonomy, Self-Reliance, Sovereignty, Liberty, Privacy, Spontaneity, Flexibility, Adventure, Nonconformity, Individuality, Self-Expression, Agency, Empowerment, Choice, Mobility
Phrase-based versions:
- “Hire adults, treat them like adults.”
- “Outcome over attendance. Results over hours.”
- “My calendar reflects my priorities, not other people’s emergencies.”
- “Build systems that free people, not systems that control them.”
- “Earn rest, don’t steal it.”
Who this category fits: The leader who delegates heavily and judges by outcomes, not process. The CEO who hates micromanagement in both directions. If your delegation systems are built around giving people autonomy within clear boundaries, this is your category.
Category 6: Courage and Action Values
These are about decisiveness, speed, and the willingness to act when others wait.
Single-word values: Courage, Bravery, Boldness, Decisiveness, Action, Initiative, Confidence, Conviction, Audacity, Fortitude, Resilience, Persistence, Toughness, Resolve, Fearlessness, Assertiveness, Directness, Tenacity
Phrase-based versions:
- “Decide fast, correct faster.”
- “The uncomfortable conversation you’re avoiding is exactly the one you need to have.”
- “Default to action. Perfect information is a myth.”
- “If it scares you and excites you at the same time, it’s probably the right move.”
- “Bad news doesn’t age well. Deliver it today.”
- “Say the thing everyone’s thinking but nobody’s willing to say.”
Who this category fits: The founder who makes a decision and moves, even without complete data. I told every CEO I’ve worked with: fast and 90% right beats slow and 95% right. If you’ve ever walked away from a deal because something felt off, even when the numbers said stay, courage is core for you. For how this connects to decision-making, read about core leadership values and decisions.
Category 7: Structure and Order Values
These are about systems, process, and doing things right.
Single-word values: Organization, Structure, Discipline, Efficiency, Order, Process, Precision, Thoroughness, Quality, Planning, Preparation, Consistency, Timeliness, Punctuality, Cleanliness, Accuracy, Detail, Methodology, Systems, Rigor
Phrase-based versions:
- “If it isn’t documented, it doesn’t exist.”
- “A system beats willpower every time.”
- “Good enough isn’t good enough if the system allows excellent.”
- “Every recurring problem is a missing system.”
- “Don’t manage people. Manage systems that manage outcomes.”
Who this category fits: The CEO who gets frustrated by chaos, rework, and reactive firefighting. The founder who builds SOPs before hiring. If your biggest wins have come from building systems that made you unnecessary in a process, structure is core. This connects directly to the leadership characteristics that prevent plateaus.
Category 8: Health and Wellbeing Values
These are about protecting the things that sustain you and your team.
Single-word values: Health, Wellness, Balance, Vitality, Energy, Rest, Mindfulness, Presence, Self-Care, Fitness, Nutrition, Serenity, Peace, Calm, Stability, Safety, Security, Sustainability, Longevity, Wholeness
Phrase-based versions:
- “Protect my health the way I protect my revenue.”
- “Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a leadership failure.”
- “If I’m not well, my company isn’t well.”
- “Sustainable pace over heroic sprints.”
- “The work will expand to fill the time unless I set boundaries.”
Who this category fits: The leader who learned this one the hard way. I did. At Arcules, I was sleeping four to five hours a night, grinding through an MBA while running a company, and telling myself that sacrifice was the price of success. My wife left a note at an empty restaurant table: “I’m not competing with a company anymore. I’m competing with your addiction to being needed.” That note changed my definition of leadership. If you’ve had your own version of that wake-up call, health and wellbeing values aren’t optional for you.
Category 9: Learning and Wisdom Values
These are about understanding, growing intellectually, and sharing knowledge.
Single-word values: Wisdom, Knowledge, Learning, Education, Curiosity, Understanding, Awareness, Insight, Intelligence, Reflection, Thoughtfulness, Open-Mindedness, Critical Thinking, Discernment, Research, Scholarship, Expertise, Mentorship, Teaching, Growth Mindset
Phrase-based versions:
- “Stay curious longer than everyone else in the room.”
- “The best leaders are the best learners.”
- “Ask the question even when you’re supposed to have the answer.”
- “Every failure is data. Use it.”
- “Teach what you learn. Learning compounds when shared.”
- “Challenge your own assumptions before challenging anyone else’s.”
Who this category fits: The CEO who reads 50 books a year and still feels like there’s more to learn. The founder who asks genuine questions in every meeting instead of performing expertise. If you’ve changed your mind about something important in the last six months, learning values are probably core. This ties directly into what makes a good leader at every stage of growth.
Category 10: Family and Legacy Values
These are about the long game: what you’re building and who you’re building it for.
Single-word values: Family, Legacy, Tradition, Heritage, Community, Belonging, Love, Parenthood, Partnership, Home, Faith, Spirituality, Purpose, Meaning, Service, Stewardship, Generosity, Impact, Contribution, Philanthropy
Phrase-based versions:
- “Build something worth handing down.”
- “Protect the non-negotiables that keep me whole.”
- “My family knows my face, not just my schedule.”
- “Success without significance is failure in disguise.”
- “Create leaders who create leaders.”
- “Leave every room, company, and relationship better than I found it.”
Who this category fits: The leader who measures success across decades, not quarters. The founder whose real motivation isn’t revenue but impact. When my son Noel was diagnosed with autism, it sharpened every value I held about patience, presence, and what “legacy” actually means. If you’ve ever turned down an opportunity because it conflicted with who you’re building your life around (not just what you’re building), legacy values are core.
Category 11: Community and Social Impact Values
These are about contribution, responsibility, and making things better beyond your company.
Single-word values: Service, Impact, Responsibility, Citizenship, Philanthropy, Volunteering, Advocacy, Environmentalism, Sustainability, Justice, Equality, Equity, Fairness, Inclusion, Compassion, Generosity, Giving, Solidarity, Cooperation, Altruism
Phrase-based versions:
- “Use the business to fund the mission, not the other way around.”
- “Profit enables purpose. It doesn’t replace it.”
- “If our success doesn’t improve our community, it isn’t real success.”
- “Pay forward what someone invested in me.”
- “Hire from the community we serve.”
Who this category fits: The founder who ties business outcomes to social outcomes. Not performatively. Structurally. If community impact is built into your business model, not bolted on as a marketing initiative, this is core.
Category 12: Joy and Enjoyment Values
These are about energy, play, and the experience of doing the work.
Single-word values: Joy, Fun, Humor, Play, Enthusiasm, Energy, Passion, Celebration, Gratitude, Appreciation, Happiness, Contentment, Delight, Excitement, Positivity, Optimism, Adventure, Spontaneity, Curiosity, Wonder
Phrase-based versions:
- “If we’re not enjoying the work, we’re doing it wrong.”
- “Celebrate the win before chasing the next one.”
- “Humor doesn’t weaken authority. Rigidity does.”
- “Build a company people want to work at, not just work for.”
- “Energy is contagious. So is exhaustion. Choose deliberately.”
Who this category fits: The leader whose team describes working with them as “intense but fun.” The CEO who believes that a joyful culture outperforms a stressed one over any meaningful time horizon. If your best business decisions came during moments of energy and play rather than pressure and fear, joy values are worth naming.
The Trap: Why Most Values Lists Don’t Work
You now have 250+ options. Here’s where most people go wrong.
They circle 15-20 words and call them core values. That’s not a values set. That’s a personality profile. And personality profiles don’t help you make decisions at 11 PM when a key client threatens to leave.
Real core values pass three tests.
The cost test. Has this value ever cost me something significant? Revenue? A hire? A relationship? If no, it’s aspirational.
The tension test. Could a reasonable person hold the opposite position? If nobody would disagree with your value, it’s a permission-to-play value, not a core value. “We value quality” isn’t a value. “We’ll miss a deadline before we ship substandard work” is a value.
The behavior test. Can you describe what this value looks like at 9 AM on a Tuesday? If it can’t translate into specific observable actions, it’s too abstract to be useful.
When you apply these three tests honestly, 250 options become five. Then three. If you want to see those tests applied to a specific leadership context, the leadership values that build trust walks through seven principles CEOs use to translate values into decisions that earn team loyalty. And those three will feel almost obvious because you’ve already been living them. You just hadn’t named them with enough specificity.
For a deeper breakdown of what separates real core values from decoration, I’ve written a full post on the definition most leaders get wrong.
What to Do Next
You have two paths from here.
If you haven’t done the discovery work yet, go through the full definition process before using this list. The process gives you patterns. The list gives you language. In that order, they work. In the reverse order, you’ll pick values that sound good instead of values that are true.
If you’ve already done the work and you’re looking for better language to articulate what you found, use this list to sharpen your phrasing. Look at the phrase-based versions in your top categories. Test them against your real decisions. The version that makes you slightly uncomfortable is probably the most honest one.
And if you’re ready to build a daily system that keeps your values front and center in every decision, conversation, and meeting, The 5-Minute Leader was built for exactly that. Five protocols. Five minutes a day. Designed for CEOs who want to stop reacting and start leading from their values.
