But he left us much more than his confidence and his willingness to take a chance. My father never lied; nor did he ever cheat anyone or take a dollar he didn't honestly earn. He passed this values on, first to me and then, through me, to his grandchildren. It's funny how that.worked. He never talked about these things, he just did them.6
Robben's last sentence illustrates the way in which cultural values are transmitted. Family members and others in the firm learn what's important and absorb the traditions of the 'firm simply by functioning as part of the organization.