Every team should have a set of values they agree on and can always get back to.
While that's not always easy to achieve. I think that every engineer and manager should have their own set of values so that they have their red lines, the things they value and consider important and the things they don't really care about. This would make hiring process a bit easier and can help a group of people form a better team.
Here are mine (i.e. my own values that I would have like my team to have). Some points are original, some adopted and modified and some I just stole:
Communication is King; human connection is the path to bringing out the best in people
Share and consult often in order to bridge the physical distance.
Face-to-face contact with the whole team is important.
Every engineer should have regular 1:1s with a “manager”.
Peer mentorship is promoted and encouraged.
We try to be proactive over reactive.
We value well-communicated, critical analysis of solutions.
We don’t require consensus, but do try to get people on the same page.
We will provide the best value for our users
We will aspire to deliver quality features to our users at a high rate.
We will take measures to make sure our users don’t get confused.
Professional & personal growth is important
We want a fluid organization where engineers can work on different parts of the product and on different platforms.
Engineers will have input into product direction.
Engineers will have input into which projects they work on.
Everyone is encouraged to experiment and spend time to improve their skills
We honor and nurture on the team diversity
We honor each other’s culture and tradition.
We give each other the benefit of the doubt.
We will always remain civil.
Good engineers are active and supportive
Junior engineers are given adequate support and guidance.
Mid-level engineers are given opportunities that challenge them and allow them to grow; we should allow them to fail safely.
Senior engineers will have varied opportunities for leadership: people management, technical leadership, product direction.
Leadership comes in many forms.
Pursuit of greatness is a virtue
Our team can be one of the best engineering teams.
Our team can build one of the best products.
