ESSENTIALS MANAGEMENT PULLING IT TOGETHER Twilio has a tradition of taking an annual company photo. From the six members on the team in 2010 to his 400-person strong company today, these images remind him of the values that have attracted, retained and evolved Twilio. Behind Twilio’s growing team is the three-stage company values system that Lawson has put in place. First it’s articulating — not creating — what your people, product and process represent in words. When your values are lived and interpreted inside and beyond company walls, they become your culture. Finally, your values mustn’t be too sacred to be periodically evaluated, even if the company keeps them in the end. “Leading a company means being a conscious custodian of its values. It’s a requirement, not a nice-to-have. Because, here’s the reality: every company has a culture and has values whether or not you put them into words,” says Lawson. “You might as well articulate them so that they stay in your sight and you can guide them.” 107