The Importance of Core Values

This episode’s topic is extremely important and one of our favorites to discuss – core values. Everyone at TonaLaw knows our core values because they are a part of our culture, and we constantly discuss them to ensure everyone is on the same page. Our culture is the collective embodiment of the core values. In our opinion, the culture created around the core values is the single most important factor for a company’s success.

Below are the six core values that make up the culture at TonaLaw. They don’t have to be copied and pasted into your law firm, but based on our firm’s goals, these six work best for us.

Superior Lawyering

We believe in strategic, obsessed, and meticulous lawyering. Tom’s goal is for his team to be lawyering like they are lawyering for him as a client. He has really high standards and expects the best lawyering available.

People First

We put everybody in this organization and their families first. Everybody’s family is a priority to everybody else here. After that is the team, and then management comes last. If you don’t have any other core values, you should at least follow this one because when you put people first, they will have your back.

Kind Candor

This is a concept from Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, “Twelve and a Half.” We are very clear about our standards at TonaLaw, and if someone isn’t meeting them, we address them quickly and clearly. We strive for complete honesty, authenticity, transparency, and kindness.

Innovation and Improvement

Everybody here has an unwavering commitment to incremental and consistent innovation and Improvement, both personally and professionally. There’s a constant quest for betterment throughout the office, which adds to everyone’s and the office’s success.

Mindset

You can learn a lot about mindset from Carol Dweck’s book, where she teaches that you can have a growth or fixed mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that you can impact outcomes with effort. These people are open-minded and humble. People with fixed mindsets are not subject to change by effort or influence and believe things happen to them.

Discipline

Discipline involves your thoughts, words, and actions. Through strong disciple, you can obtain freedom. 

You can’t fake culture. Constantly communicate your core values throughout your office and live by them to experience a new crystallized culture in your firm.

If you want to learn more about Lead Counsel, check out https://tonalaw.com/podcast/lc007