The perfect methodology to create core values that matter for startups and companies. Discover Toucan Toco's identity and mental frameworks. We answer the simple question: How to build core values for your company ? Here is how to build a strong culture: A strong culture is: - An asset for decisions in the recruitment process. - A success factor in the integration of new recruits. - It brings the team together and gives them a sense of belonging. Conclusion: the sooner you do it, the more ready you are to grow

1. How to build core values
for your company
The recipe of a start-up to create
its corporate culture

2. Core Values:
How’s and Why’s
© T O U C A N T O C O
BUILD THE COMPANY’S CULTURE

3. WHY CREATE
CORE VALUES?
Common error: create vague and
general values*.
- These values are not operable.
A good value must:
- Allow arbitrations during
decision-making.
- Inspire individual initiatives.
Call out your values
* Examples of non-operable and imprecise values:
"Always Innovate",
"Our customers are our priority."
"Excellence is our business."
"Respect",
It is difficult not to adhere to these values, difficult to be
against them, difficult to use them to define the specific
culture of a group.

4. WHY SO SOON?
A strong culture is:
- An asset for decisions in the
recruitment process.
- A success factor in the integration of
new recruits.
- It brings the team together and gives
them a sense of belonging.
Conclusion: the sooner you do it, the
more ready you are to grow
Guiding growth

5. BUILD YOUR CULTURE
Value creation is achieved by observing the daily life of a startup.
It is through its successes but also its methods in solving problems that they find
their origin.
Creating core values means paying attention to the way decisions are made, to
correct certain shortcomings and above all to amplify strengths.

6. How to build
Core Values ?
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SO THAT THEY ARE AUTHENTIC

7. OUR CHRONOLOGY
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November 2015
Implementation
December 2015
Presentation of values
to the team,
Christmas evening =
informal
March 2016
Team knows
the concept
but not the
tagline
April 2016
Core Values are a
brand. Available
on the wall, the
mugs, recruiting
stickers...
May 2016
The core values are
connected outside
the company: site,
articles....
October 2016
New discussions
around values:
should we
modify/delete or
add new values?
To Be
Continued...

8. ANONYMOUS FEEDBACKS
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● All employees anonymously
completed a text document for 1
month
● Everyone wrote anonymously
about the company: social, work,
image, relations, design...
● All of them were able to write
what they liked and what they
didn't like in the company's daily
life.
Observe...
● Cluster remarks, forming
groups according to their
nature
● Eliminate what is superfluous
● Try to identify the key points:
what makes people change
their minds, remarks about
social interactions...
...And regroup

9. CORE VALUES FOR INSIDE AND
OUTSIDE YOUR ORGANIZATION
© T O U C A N T O C O
● It is now time to formulate the
first values. 2-3 people have to
take care of it for practical
reasons
● They must be focused on the
inside of the company: the ego.
● All employees must be able to
identify themselves as a priority.
Values oriented
towards the ego...
● Values are to recruitment what
the product is to marketing.
● That is why once the work is
done on the ego, it is necessary to
be able to turn them towards the
outside: the echo.
● As customers are attracted to a
good product, talented
individuals are more easily
attracted to a strong corporate
culture
... And to the
echo

10. HOW TO BRAND CORE
VALUES
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● Once the first values have been
found and formulated they must
be presented to the entire team.
● It is important to discuss them
well, to get feedback so that they
are as representative as possible.
Find common ground
● Once validated, do not hesitate to
highlight them at the office. This
can be done through wall frames,
goodies. At Toucan Toco they're
mugs!
● Putting them forward at the office
is good. Putting them forward on
the outside is better! Site, social
networks... It is necessary to
share the corporate culture with
candidates.
Brand Core Values

11. TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED
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● Implement the first values as soon as possible
Ideally, before the company reaches the 10 employees. The process will be all the
easier to set up.
● Accept that some values may disappear
Over time, the culture evolves, and updates are to be expected! Values and values
created, modified, or deleted.
● Elect 2 managers, especially not only managers/founders
Be careful, this does not mean that the values
are not discussed with the group until they are officially established!

12. The 5 values of
Toucan Toco
© T O U C A N T O C O
WHAT THEY MEAN,
WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO US

13. WTFM
Each One Teach One
Be Well & Take Care
Let’s sharpen your axe
In Tokars we trust
Fix the broken window

14. © T O U C A N T O C O
WTFM
WRITE THE FUCKING MANUAL

15. WTFM
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Write The Fucking Manual
● A nod to the famous RTFM – Read The
Fucking Manual. – geek culture.
● when one of us discovers a new tool, he
documents it.
● We document everything we learn.
● We think documentation for
internal and external purpose
● Allows Toucan Toco to capitalize
on the knowledge of each
member.
● Very useful when a new recruit
arrives or someone goes on leave
Advantages

16. © T O U C A N T O C O
Each One
Teach one

17. EACH ONE TEACH ONE
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● We put our knowledge to good use. We
share our knowledge with other
departments as soon as the opportunity
arises.
● Transversal knowledge is essential in
our creative process.
● Each team member brings a stone to the
building and enriches the culture of
others.
● Organization of "talks" every
Friday lunchtime: entrepreneurs,
relatives or team members talk to
us about their experience, their
passions...
● We pay particular attention to new
recruits. Our goal is to share our
expertise quickly and to train
them carefully.
Advantages

18. © T O U C A N T O C O
Be Well & Take Care

19. BE WELL & TAKE CARE
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● We spend most of our day at work. We
want to create a simple and healthy space,
by spending fulfilling days. This requires a
pleasant working environment and a
close-knit team that shares the same
principles.
● Getting along with others is essential.
This is why each time we recruit, we send
a "team fit" to make sure that we get along
well with the candidate.
● "Team Fit": drink with the whole
team during recruitment to ensure
that the candidate corresponds to
the company's culture
● A healthy mind: meditation
sessions at the office once a week
● A healthy body: fruit, fruit juice
and chocolate at will.
Advantages

20. © T O U C A N T O C O
Let’s sharpen your axe

21. LET’S SHARPEN YOUR AXE
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● “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I
will spend the first four sharpening the
axe.” – Abraham Lincoln
● Sharpening your axe means that people will
always help you, but that you also have to
take time to challenge the way you do
things and the process of Toucan Toco.
● We just loved the woodcutter story that
really coined the idea that we want people
to take time to earn time.
● You take breaks to step back and
work smart
● People each other out and gain
more clarity
Advantages

22. © T O U C A N T O C O
IN TOKARS
WE TRUST

23. IN TOKARS WE TRUST
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● While talking to the team we really felt
that they didn’t need other people to tell
them what to do.
● This trust comes with the fact that we feel
like we can fail without getting penalized
for it.
● This level of autonomy is what every Tokar
is promised when coming to the company.
This is the aligned autonomy inspired by
Spotify.
● People take risks and innovate
because they have a safe zone
● Deriving from this trust concept,
we also believe that every voice
has the same weight. Whether you
are an Intern or the CEO, only
logic will prevail.
Advantages

24. © T O U C A N T O C O
Fix the broken
Window

25. FIX THE BROKEN WINDOW
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● Inspired by the criminological study "The
Broken window theory". Let's consider a
building with broken windows. If the
windows are not repaired, other windows
will continue to be broken by vandals, and
so on.
● Small details matter and we think in the
long term. We don’t want bad practice to
add up.
● We want to provide the best possible
product to our customers and quality is in
the attention to detail and the ability to
repair broken parts very quickly.
● The goal is to be square and not
end up with a bad surprise that we
would have put aside.
● As a team, a developer will never
leave a piece of risky code in the
product, and a sales
representative will always fill out
the CRM.
Advantages

26. CORE VALUES, A LIVING MATERIAL
Some will appear, some will disappear. Points for reflection are
planned for the next seminar at Toucan Toco, with our new recruits!

27. on our blog
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go@toucantoco.com
MORE INFORMATION

28. © T O U C A N T O C O