Beyond words on a page

The process began by bringing together the firm’s directors, partners and emerging leaders to shape the values and behaviours that would define how they wanted to work. For HR Director, Sandra Ursino OAM, involving a broader group was an important part of the process.

Rather than handing people a finished set of values, the collaborative process created ownership from the beginning. The conversations and debates that arose helped the participants understand not just what the values were, but why they mattered.

Creating everyday accountability

Once the values were defined, the focus shifted to helping people understand what they looked like in practice. Over several months, Pitcher Partners introduced the behaviours one at a time, giving people the opportunity to focus on what each one meant in their everyday work.

They created visibility and encouraged conversations across the firm, so the values became part of regular discourse rather than a poster in the lunchroom.

Sandra believes the difference soon became noticeable in decision-making.

Where values once may have been difficult for employees to recall, they are now being used as a reference point when making decisions and holding each other accountable.

Recognising what living the values looks like

One of the most powerful shifts has been seeing the values come to life in everyday moments.

When graduate employee Bella began bringing people from different teams together through informal lunchtime activities, the firm recognised it as an example of their enjoy the journey value.

Sandra acknowledged Bella’s contribution with a handwritten card and a coffee voucher. The moment created a ripple effect, with others noticing and celebrating examples of their colleagues demonstrating the values.

Making values part of the employee experience

The values are now part of how Pitcher Partners approaches recruitment, with HR using them to educate potential employees about what the firm stands for, and evaluate candidates based on fit.

The next step was embedding the behaviours further into performance and development, to ensure they continue to shape not just how people join the organisation, but how they grow within it.

Why the process mattered

For Sandra, having an external partner guide the process was critical.

What made the difference was having someone outside the organisation who could challenge thinking, create structure and help the group navigate the process.

Today, the values are more than a statement of intent. They provide a shared language for how people work together, make decisions and contribute to the culture of the firm.