What exactly is company culture? Who sets it? How do you maintain it? How is it perceived by those outside?
The culture is the atmosphere the work environment inside the company. This also get personified outside the company by the employees who interface with the customers and vendors.
It could also just be the hype that is placed in the PR and marketing literature to attract customers, vendors and talent.
Who sets the tone of the culture? Ultimately it is the CEO as they set the course they see in the vision for the company.
However, in most cases the vision does not include the culture. The culture is just to make maximum profit and shareholder equity without any thought to setting the environment for it.
Culture is the environment, how you will conduct yourself, how you will interact with others, how business will be conducted, and how issues will be resolved.
There is much talk about companies wanting a culture of innovation then they conduct business in a manner that stifles it because they have not set the culture. Culture can’t be mandated and then forget about it.
If you want an innovative culture then you have to be ready to take risks, to be open to ideas and discuss them and how they benefit the company. The my way or the highway attitude of your management staff will kill an innovative culture faster than the words came out of your mouth. Also your talent has to have the ability to work in a very collaborative effort. Egos need to be checked at the door and prima donna’s need to be eliminated as they will counter your innovative atmosphere. If you as the CEO do not have an innovative attitude do not expect your employees or staff to have one either.
If you are setting the culture then be prepared to talk the talk and walk the walk that you set.
What is a good company culture to set?
Actually it is one based on good ethics and business practices. One that includes open-minded to all ideas, high collaborative spirit, open communications and door, value and respect.
What are the rewards of having the right culture?
High productivity, elimination of waste, high morale, high retention, high attraction to talent, customers seeking you out, high quality, fewer sick days and better equity.
So why are so many companies not going after this type of culture?
I am not sure of the reason other than it means that the staff has to change their ways and they fear it means a reduction of their power or domination. The other fear that I can think of is that they lost the ability to be innovate and change. They haven’t kept abreast of the latest technology and fear they will not be able to discuss or understand what their reports are talking about.
If one wants to study or experience the way a company culture should be look at start-ups. The camaraderie from the CEO to the lowly worker talking about what is needed to make the company successful. The spirit of cooperation and work ethics. The ideas flow and the discussions result in best fit results. Risk are evaluated and taken with back up plans ready to go in case. This is an ideal culture to work in then it happens. The culture changes when you transition to a “real ” company. Why is that? Is it because the thrill is over and you have to settle in to the same old routine? Is that mandated somewhere? Why can’t you keep the start-up culture and still have the “real” business workings?
Wouldn’t that make the atmosphere a better place to work. Where the burden isn’t on one person because they always have others willing to step in and help. Most cultures stifle this spirit of cooperation as it is usually viewed as fraternization and not work.
Why do so many companies write what the culture and mission statement will be in their original business plan and then never follow it or change it to be better? It always seems to get worse from the number of companies that I have dealt with.
So let me ask do you know what your company culture is? Is it really what you think it is? Have you asked the employees what they think the culture is? Do they match?
Bottom line is your company in trouble internally? Is there a cancer festering within the walls of your company keeping it from maximizing it’s potential?
Like this:
Tags: Business, change, culture, evolution, Human nature, Leadership, Management, Problem resolution, Smart solutions, thoughts, vision
