These three principles are built on a foundation of **Culture of Excellence**, which we expect every team member to uphold.
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## Speed with Quality
_Move fast, learn faster._
We move faster than we have, with the discipline that lets others rely on the work—especially our customers. We achieve this with lean teams, tighter cycles, and stronger guardrails. We hold a higher bar for what we commit to and what we deliver against those commitments.
**What this looks like:**
1. We organize and execute cross-functional projects in small teams with more autonomy
1. We set high standards for quality — always prove what we build with customer zero first
1. We build fast, experiment, learn and fail fast — especially for two-way decisions
1. If an agent can do it, we automate it, and find the things where our judgment or skill is essential
1. We have zero tolerance for unnecessary bureaucracy
1. We use both sync (for speed) and async (for scale) patterns
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## Ownership Mindset
_Act because it's yours._
We expect every individual to act as a steward for the company and with autonomy. The people closest to the work make the decisions about it, and they own the result. Layers of management between leaders and the work, and handoffs that dilute accountability, are eliminated.
**What this looks like:**
1. I take pride in my work because it delivers real outcomes
1. It is never someone else's problem
1. Everyone is on my team
1. I care deeply for the customer and the business health
1. I am efficient with budget, people, and everyone's time
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## Customer Outcomes
_We win when they win._
We measure ourselves by what changes for the customer, not by the activity on our side. Internal milestones matter only to the extent that they connect to customer impact.
**What this looks like:**
1. I can explain how my work connects to a customer outcome — not just a roadmap item or task
1. My work creates joy and delight for customers so they love GitLab
1. I build customer relationships on fairness and mutual respect, and I make sure every deal works for both sides
1. I am focused on value realization first, because that drives bigger commitments over time
1. When a customer is stuck, I treat their time like it's more expensive than mine
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## Culture of Excellence
All three principles are built on a culture of excellence, which we expect every team member to uphold.
**Excellence in Thought** — Understand deeply and with precision, and communicate with clarity and integrity.
**Excellence in Action** — Demonstrate the focus and skill that produces high-quality results and business impact.
**Interpersonal Excellence** — Be a good human. Embrace diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Assume good intent and treat everyone with respect.
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## Acknowledging CREDIT
CREDIT — Collaboration, Results, Efficiency, Diversity & Inclusion, Iteration, Transparency — was the right framework for the era that put GitLab on the map. Those values shaped a company that thrived through our first decade, and became one of the most recognized names in DevSecOps.
We aren't retiring CREDIT because those values were wrong. We are choosing to focus on something different for an era that demands a different operating posture. The values CREDIT represented remain part of who we are. They live in the principles above and still show up in various ways at GitLab.
_To propose a change to these principles, open an MR and assign to the Chief People Officer. Material changes require E-Group alignment before merging._
