Open Core Venture’s five core values are the guiding principles that shape our results-oriented culture. They enable us to align our behaviors and actions with our goals. OCV’s values are a living document that is refined and revised as the firm grows and evolves.
We know our values are effective when:
- They shape our culture: Values define our identity and how we interact with one another and stakeholders.
- They support our goals. Values create a strong foundation for sustainable growth by aligning our mission with our daily operations and goals.
- They guide our decision-making. Values provide a framework for making consistent decisions. They help us navigate difficult situations by aligning choices with our core beliefs.
- They drive accountability: Values set expectations for behavior and performance across all levels of the organization. This leads to consistency in how business is conducted and holds individuals accountable.
- They attract talent: Our values attract employees who share common beliefs and behaviors.
Boldness
We are opinionated, decisive, and confident. Operating with conviction, openly acknowledging challenges, and unapologetically committing to our model is how we will achieve our vision.
Be wrong but quick
We accept that we often need to make decisions with imperfect information. We have a high tolerance for experimenting and being wrong with a high expectation for swift course correction.
Be prepared to evangelize
We are turning the venture model on its head and acknowledge there are inherent challenges. We embrace these challenges as creative constraints and believe success will validate our boldness. We are committed to our model and equally responsible for evangelizing the model.
Transparency
We operate in a transparent environment, with clear terms and open communication, guided by our public handbook. Developing a culture of shared context is a competitive advantage that enables us to move faster.
Contextual decision-making
We openly share the “why” driving our decisions. We are not a consensus-driven organization. We give decision-making authority to designated, directly responsible individuals (DRIs). DRIs demonstrate respect for their collaborators and peers by proactively providing context for the final decision.
Documentation
We write things down. We take notes during synchronous meetings and document outcomes and action items. Firm guidance and public process changes are communicated with a handbook link.
Open communication
We foster an environment of internal open communication, where we prioritize speed of communication over polished messages. All questions are welcome and valid in the pursuit of clarity and deeper understanding.
We are a small cross-functional team that embraces spinning up and down short-term special-purpose channels. Creating permanent department-specific channels is the antithesis of working openly.
Resourcefulness
We think creatively and adapt quickly; iteration drives every decision and action.
Ship and iterate
We embrace a minimum viable change mentality. We don't let perfect be the enemy of progress—we ship quickly, learn, and refine. When we see an opportunity to move forward, we take it now rather than waiting for ideal conditions.
Perseverance
We take challenges head-on and do not bat an eye at the hard stuff.
Solutions-oriented
We maintain composure when facing obstacles and channel our energy toward finding answers rather than dwelling on problems. We do hard things because they're worth doing, not despite their difficulty.
Explore unconventional paths
We leverage cross-functional resources and perspectives to solve problems in unexpected ways. We actively explore unusual avenues, experiment with emerging tools and technologies, and encourage curiosity-driven innovation beyond our core work.
Inclusion
We acknowledge and embrace differences as a strength and source of innovation. Taking a genuine interest in individual perspectives and experiences helps us find the outliers to achieve our mission.
Challenge our assumptions
We take a genuine interest in understanding people's motivations and thought processes rather than assuming we know them. We recognize that our initial read on someone may miss what makes them exceptional, so we dig deeper and remain open to being surprised by where we find talent and innovation.
Create space for diverse thinking
We allocate time and resources for exploration that may not directly tie to immediate goals. We encourage team members to share interesting ideas and perspectives, and establish clear guidelines for evaluating which ideas to pursue while maintaining openness to unexpected connections and insights.
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