Core values became popular at many organizations during the 1970s, very likely in response to revelations of widespread corruption in business and politics, and as a result of the social upheavals of the 1960s. Three decades later, almost every organization has established a set of core values, but few organizations link them in a real way to their strategy or long-term success. Moreover, many leaders who speak of the importance of their organizations' core values fail to model them or ensure that others do.