A while ago Philip Linden posted a blog entry about the principles Linden Labs revolves around:
Work together! The problems we have faced and will face in creating Second Life are generally larger than one person can solve, and solving them is one of the defensible strengths we have as a company. We will succeed only if we collaborate with each other extensively and well. This means helping others reach their goals, joining teams, and being easy to work with.
Choose Your Own Work Given how dynamic the challenges are we face, and the opportunity for increased job satisfaction and productivity, Linden Lab places a high premium on choosing your own work, rather than being told by anyone what to do. By choosing your own work, you are more likely to have more fun at work and add more value to Second Life. By setting your own goals, you are more likely to meet them. When you commit to a team project, be prepared to be directed by the team lead, but when deciding what project you will take on next, rely first on your own best intuition and the counsel of peers.
Be Transparent and Open There are many ways to emphasize responsibility, accountability, communication and trust. We believe that the one key principle that best supports all of these values is transparency. As much as possible, tell everyone what you are doing. This transparency makes us responsible to our peers, makes us accountable to our own statements, and replaces the need for management with individual responsibility. Over time, it creates and reinforces trust. Be willing to share ideas before you feel they are "baked". Report on your own progress frequently and to everyone.
Make Weekly Progress We believe that every person should make specific, visible individual contributions that moves the company forward every week. Projects must be broken down into measurable tasks so that making weekly progress is possible. This is a principle that almost no one believes is true when they first hear it, yet everyone who keeps to this principle over the course of several months is stunned by the amount of progress made during that time. Set weekly goals and report progress to everyone.
No Politics! Never act to advance your own interests at the expense of the interests of the company. This is the one principle, outside of violations of law, for which violation will likely result in immediate termination.
Might Makes Right Just kidding - wanted to make sure you're still paying attention. Lots of things could be said here: Have a sense of humor. Have a sense of humility. Have fun. Call out inconsistency in principles when you see it. Don't let a staid form and function become routine and boilerplate. Which leads to our last principle ...
Do It With Style It's not enough that we want to change the world. It's not enough that our product is incredibly complex and our vision is vast and shifting. We're not just going to win, we're going to do it with style. That means a lot of different things, and a lot of what it means can't be captured in a handbook. Find out by talking to your colleagues, by living the principles above, by exploring Second Life.
While it's always hard to know how well a company lives up to it's principles from the outside, I'm hugely impressed with the above list as an ideal. This fits almost exactly with my own personal experience and beliefs. I'm especially impressed with the dedication to transparency and making small regular progress. I'm hoping I can use this as a template to inspire myself and others going forward.