Uncovering Company Values
Last week, we had our buidlbox fall retreat. Unlike previous retreats, this one was fully virtual with each person joining from the comfort of their couch, office, bed, or coworking space. This retreat would be special for us: we’ve gone through quite a few changes over the last few months as we shifted our focus from being a regen web3 studio to being a team building the future of premier hackathons. Taking time to reflect on who we are and where we are going felt of particular importance.
Since I joined Gitcoin turned Supermodular turned buidlbox in November 2021 (iykyk), I’ve wanted to zoom in on who we are as a team. I wanted to answer the questions, “What is important to us?” and “What is ultimately at our core?” Whether it was intentional or not, I was never quite sure of our values as a collective. I knew what our purpose was and even how we’d achieve it, but our attitude and posture while driving in that direction hadn’t yet been explored.
“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
I started thinking through how I could answer these questions with the team. My goal was not to write company values. Instead, it was to uncover the values we were already living out. I thought of Michelangelo: “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Stated or not, every company has values. I simply wanted to uncover what was already there.
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I created and shared a Mural board with the team that we worked off of during the hour-long session. We started by answering a single question: If someone was to ask you, “What are buidlbox’s values as a company,” how would you respond? Using the yellow boxes provided, each team member responded with their answers.
Once we had a pool of responses, I asked the team to organize the yellow notes into common themes or categories in the larger box to the right. Once organized, each person was allotted 5 votes to put toward the themes or words that resonated with them the strongest.
The responses with the most votes were then moved into the top right section of the board. From here, we talked through each word or phrase and expounded on what each of them meant to us. By the end, we had our five core values.
So what are they?
Here are the values our team uncovered together:
Customer Commitment. We go the extra mile. We provide tailored experiences that exceed expectations because we understand the unique challenges our customers face.
Buidling. We are buidlers at heart; it is in our DNA. We are committed to innovation and continuous improvement of our product and services.
Gratitude. We have a deep appreciation for our sponsors, buidlers, and each other. Our gratitude is reflected in both words and actions.
Ownership. Each team member takes ownership of their tasks and their role, ensuring the highest quality in what we do. We empower ourselves and others to take projects from A to Z.
Vibes. We are rooted in mutual respect, open communication, collaboration, and humor. We are dedicated to creating memorable experiences through and with our product.
This activity gave me so much excitement for the future of buidlbox. These values do not simply reflect who we want to be, but — more importantly — they show who we already are. As you buidl with us, I hope you experience these values as well.