Values only have an effect when they are anchored in structures, processes, and daily actions. A corporate culture does not change through well-intentioned appeals or colorful posters, but through concrete framework conditions that enable new behavior – and make old behavior impossible. Only when managers, teams, and organizations understand this connection do values transform from empty promises into lived reality. Or, in the words of Armin Trost: “You don’t change culture by changing culture.”<\/p>\n
So how can corporate values not only be formulated, but also embedded in the DNA of an organization in such a way that they become effective? The answer: by addressing all three levels – the individual, the organizational, and the management-related \u2013 and thus making structures the key to genuine cultural change.<\/p>\n<\/div>
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Individual values: Diversity as an opportunity – if it is given space<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"graphic:](\"https:\/\/www.flow.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/flow-value-matrix-1.png\" "\\"flow")
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Value matrix. copyright: flow consulting gmbh<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Every person brings their own values to the table: some value autonomy and curiosity, others stability and routine. The employee who wants to work independently and creatively and the employee who prefers clear structures and recurring tasks represent this diversity. Both have different motives – but both can be valuable to an organization.<\/p>\n
The problem is that individual values are often perceived as disruptive rather than as a resource. Managers try to bring teams to a common denominator instead of using the differences productively. But this is precisely where the potential lies: diversity of values leads to better decisions, more innovation, and greater adaptability.<\/p>\n<\/div>
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Values are personal – and changeable<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"flow](\"https:\/\/www.flow.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/corporate-culture-anneli-gabriel-600x399.jpg\" "\\"flow")
<\/span><\/div><\/div>flow consultant Anneli Gabriel in a cultural workshop<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Values are not static, but negotiable and situational. This was particularly evident during the coronavirus pandemic:<\/p>\n
\n- Initially, the motto was: “Protecting life is paramount.”<\/li>\n
- Later, it became: “We must also consider economic and social aspects.”<\/li>\n
- And some even saw the measures as “dictatorial.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These contradictions are not a sign of weakness, but of vitality. Values are not absolute truths, but \u201cregulatory fictions\u201d (Andreas Urs Sommer) \u2013 they help us to constantly renegotiate what is ‘right’ and ‘important’ in a complex world.<\/p>\n<\/div>
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What should managers do to promote corporate values?<\/h2>\n\n- Accept that values within the company are pluralistic\u2014there is no such thing as “the one truth.”<\/li>\n
- Create space for negotiation\u2014instead of dictating values, they should be reflected upon together.<\/li>\n
- Be tolerant of conflict – because new solutions only arise when different perspectives collide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
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Self-test: What values guide you?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.flow.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/individual-values-600x426.jpg\" "\\"Individual")
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Individual values are diverse<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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One simple way to understand your own values is to reflect on your expectations of work. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n
![\"Silke](\"https:\/\/www.flow.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/corporate-culture-silke-engel.jpg\" "\\"flow-consultant")
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<\/span><\/div><\/div>![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/www.flow.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/flow-aspiration-reality-gap.png\" "\\"gap")
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