

Core Values Drive A Startup’s Success - Paton
http://www.brandonpaton.com/2009/12/asana-core-values/

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coffeemug
As far as I can tell, even the best in the biz haven't the slightest idea of
what drives the startup's success. Plenty of startups with superb core values
fail, and plenty of startups with no discernible core values succeed. The
truth is, nobody knows. Just because it sounds nice, doesn't make it so.

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brandon272
I don't agree. I think that we understand what drives success. It's not always
the exact same recipe, but it's always a combination of:

\- Good idea(s) \- Good execution \- Hard work

It always seems that a startup that is lacking or is unsuccessful (what is
"success", anyway?) is always missing or lacking in one of the above three
areas.

~~~
tdoggette
That's a tautology: the way you know what startups had good ideas and
execution is by seeing which ones succeeded.

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idlewords
Another entry in the growing 'startups as self-help' file.

These values statements are a form of self-expression similar to putting
bumper stickers on one's car, and have about as much to do with the success of
the business as bumper stickers have with the correct operation of the
vehicle.

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edw519
There's a fundamental difference between living your core values and telling
them to the world.

Living them demonstrates unmistakenly and predictably who are really are.

Telling them is no different from all those bullshit mission statements on
bulletin boards ignored by millions.

Wikipedia defines "mensch" as "a person of integrity and honor" and "someone
to admire and emulate, someone of noble character". By its very definition,
you cannot call yourself (or your company) a mensch.

Once you start living your core values, you won't need to advertise them.
Plenty of others will do that for you.

~~~
aristus
I think telling and living are held in tension. Say you are male, riding on a
crowded bus with a small child in your care. A woman boards and you give her
your seat. That's living a value.

The child then does a "why chain" on you. Why did you stand up? To give the
lady a seat. Why did you give the lady your seat? Because it's polite. Why is
it polite? Etc. Explaining your values to someone else can help you reexamine
and refine them. Perhaps you didn't expect to exhibit them in public, but
another core value (being honest and respectful to children) causes you to.
Making them known also holds you to them.

I have worked for companies with very strong and sensible values that don't
advertise them. That's a fine choice, but not necessarily better or more pure
than articulating them to the world.

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zackattack
Yet another article on success written by someone who has yet to be
successful. Nice. Can we please put a moratorium on this rubbish?

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skmurphy
The values referenced are for <http://www.asana.com/> which was founded by
Dustin Moskovitz the original CTO of Facebook. See also
[http://kara.allthingsd.com/20091124/asana-gets-9-million-
no-...](http://kara.allthingsd.com/20091124/asana-gets-9-million-no-its-not-
yoga-stance-its-a-new-start-up-from-former-facebookers/) for more background.

~~~
zackattack
asana is also not a successful company

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manbearpig
I guess I shouldn't bother applying. I am unreasonable, freeze in the face of
fear, lie pathologically, hate leverage (seriously though, when did
corporatespeak become a value?), and favor hotness over chillness.

