Because culture is important.
It’s the way to lead and managing without doing all of the leading and managing.
Sort of an unwritten understanding of what to do, what’s expected, and how we treat each other.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the fortune and pleasure of being invited to a talk by Catherine Nelson, who happens to be a Customer Loyalty expert, a Leadership Consultant and Speaker with Franklin Covey, the company behind the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and the 4 Disciplines of Execution.
Thanks to the Center for Leadership and Change, Inc. for the learning opportunity.
The topic discussed was how to create great company cultures, and what are the keys to creating a great culture in an organization or group. I’ve worked in several organizations, and have helped groups and companies in their journeys to become excellent and better.
And this was a matter close to my heart.
Having a great company culture is the number one thing that will set your company apart from the others. A great culture will sustain and continue to create excellence, even after the original leaders and founders are long gone.
One friend of mine describes it as a “way of proceeding,” or a “spirit” of the organization. What is accepted, encouraged, or taught in a group, or company.
He also meant it as how people decide, and why that’s important. Or what IS important for the people.
Define Compelling Values
I’ve had the pleasure of working for a company that valued excellence, service and integrity.
What that meant was that we produced quality work, not just so-so output. We had to make sure our customers were happy, and they felt that we were serving them well.
It also meant that we were true to our word, follow through on what we say, and make sure we do what we promise, and even more.
Like a crusade, or a really great cult, you’ve got to be very clear, and specific on what you stand for, and what those mean, and I mean, really mean. In observable, explicit terms. Like not lying, or cheating, or looking out for the customer’s interest and safety.
Reinforce Through Systems
I’ve also had the pleasure of working for a company that wasn’t clear what they stood for. Or maybe they were.
But it was sure clear the employees and middle management didn’t.
Just identifying and being very clear about what you hold important, and how you go about showing and doing it is not enough. You’ve got to have structures and systems in place that will reinforce the values that you want to hold dear.
One experience I have is a company wanted to hold its staff accountable for the work that they do, and to trust their staff to get the job done. So how did they reinforce that?
They didn’t require their staff to clock in and out of work. They didn’t even need to be in the office.
Make sure to be in your meetings, get your work done on time, and with excellence.
Wow. Maybe a bit extreme for some industries, but you get the point.
You can’t say you really value equality, and then have separate washrooms for regular staff, and another for managers. That doesn’t really reinforce that value.
Oh, and make sure to communicate what you want to hold important, along with what that means, to everyone in the company.
Everyone. Again and again. Especially at the start.
Nobody will really know it unless it’s communicated, and lived out.
Leaders are Intentional and Credible
And one of the best ways to make sure the message gets spread is if it’s championed and lived out by the leaders of the organization.
They have got to represent what they want the company to stand for. Leaders will be looked up to by everyone else, and staff will emulate what they see the leaders are doing.
The leader’s actions serve as a compass and thermostat of behavior for the company, and they have to reinforce by representing, and living out the values, not only at work, but in every interaction.
Sounds like a tough thing to do? Nobody said creating great things would be easy.
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Leaders also have to be intentional. They have got to be aware of what they want to reinforce, and how, and to go ahead and do it.
When you set out to cook a dish, or cure bacon (because I am such a huge fan of bacon!), You don’t just get a piece of pork, smile and pray about it, and hope you end up with delicious, well-cured bacon!
You gather the ingredients, and you deliberately set out to create bacon! The steps you take have a purpose to transforming a piece of raw pork, into something cured, full of flavor, and ready to be cooked into fried bacon.
Like cooking, you have to be intentional about the actions you take, to set out what you want to create.
And by living the values, the leaders then become more credible to talk about it, and drive the values home further. Step by step, maybe even little by little.
Everyone is Involved and Accountable
Creating a culture, a way of proceeding in a company, an organization, or even just a little group, is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone has to pitch in their efforts and be aware of what they want to create.
Of course it all starts from the leaders, but the leaders can’t do it alone. For the changes to stick and environment to change, everyone has to do their fair share of creating, and maintaining that environment.
Maybe that’s why in some articles I read, hiring for fit is so, so important. The person might not have all the skills, but it’s better to get someone who will fit into the culture that you already have, or the culture you want to create.
Especially for startups, where you’re hiring employee #1 or #2, it becomes all the more important to get people who you can count on to build the culture that you want, right from the very start.
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What this also means, is that you have got to be deliberate about how you can motivate, and get people to live out the values you want to hold so dear.
So what this also means is, you’ve got to let go of people who don’t fit. Let go of people whose way of proceeding goes against yours, whose beliefs are not necessarily aligned with your beliefs.
If you can’t find strong common ground why that person is in your company, and you notice that person is not an excellent influence on what you’re trying to achieve, then maybe it’s time to part ways.
Take a Long-Term Approach
It takes time to build culture. To create it and get it so deeply ingrained into your group’s lives and way of proceeding.
Don’t set out expecting to build a great culture and have it set with everyone in around 1 or 2 years. It takes time to develop something that will stand the test of time, and even outlast you.
That being said, don’t pick values that are only for this moment, or only for this decade. Think about what you want to hold dear for a good 50 years, at least. Pick timeless and positive values and qualities.
If you want to build great culture, and along with that a successful and great company, you’ve got to be in it for the long haul.
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Do you have any tips on building a great culture, whether that’s in a company, church group, or even family? Let me know!
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