Unfortunately, it isn't enough to know the importance of defining your culture if you don't know where to begin. Since culture is a set of attitudes and behaviors that are acted out consistently they will become habits, so it is easier to implement culture up front, during the start up phase, since you won't have to overcome bad habits. But no matter where you are in your business life cycle you can begin to define the behaviors and attitudes you will need to thrive and innovate into the future. Without defining the desired culture for your future you can't create the culture map you will need to get there. It may be that the minute you define what your culture should be, you will realize that you’re already there. But even then, you will ensure the longevity of your culture by making it clear and recognizable to all who join your team as it grows.
Since the word culture, comes from a latin word meaning grow and the modern definition is a set of attitudes and behaviors that are characteristic to a certain social group, it would be very natural to start with attitudes and behaviors that foster growth. Successful families are able to create an environment that encourages each individual's growth in a way that simultaneously develops and benefits the whole family. There are certain attitudes and behaviors that cannot be a part of the individual without being detrimental to the whole. Likewise the goals of the family as a whole must enable the individual enough freedom and opportunity to grow individually while contributing to the needs of the family. This can be a difficult balancing act if there are no guidelines but with defined attitudes and behaviors it becomes quite natural.
So the best starting point is to define what kind of growth is necessary in order for businesses and individuals to survive and thrive.
A business must be able to produce a product or service that satisfies a need in the marketplace in a way and at a price that brings value to the buyer. But in order to grow as a business there must be an attitude of continuous improvement in order to adapt to changing customer needs with innovative new products and services and to adopt new technologies and cost saving systems in order to remain competitive. With an attitude of continuous improvement there will be certain behaviors that bring action to that attitude. For instance, continuous improvement requires time and ways to listen to and understand the customer and needs a specific set of behaviors to make that happen on a regular basis. It also requires the behavior of continuous learning about: changing technologies, such as when the internet enabled investors to trade stocks and bonds from home or when the wireless technology enabled phone users to be more mobile. Systems, One of the biggest break throughs for the retail giant, Walmart came from an inventory system that drastically reduced inventory costs and improved efficiency or when Fred Smith invented the Fedex system for speedy overnight package delivery. And better business models, such as when Netflix brought about a change to the way we rent movies or the way (the attitudes of the barista's) Starbucks delivers coffee, or the way Apple changed the way we purchase and listen to music. So, we can see lots of behaviors that one single attitude can inspire. You can also determine the most likely behaviors that would complement other attitudes for growth in your culture. Such as an attitude of humility or of embracing and driving change or community involvement etc. Start with the attitudes and behaviors you and your people believe will create a unique and sustainable culture of growth and excellence in the market place. Next week we will look at how the attitudes and behaviors for growth in a business must be in alignment with, inspire and support attitudes and behaviors of growth in the individuals of the company.
Since the word culture, comes from a latin word meaning grow and the modern definition is a set of attitudes and behaviors that are characteristic to a certain social group, it would be very natural to start with attitudes and behaviors that foster growth. Successful families are able to create an environment that encourages each individual's growth in a way that simultaneously develops and benefits the whole family. There are certain attitudes and behaviors that cannot be a part of the individual without being detrimental to the whole. Likewise the goals of the family as a whole must enable the individual enough freedom and opportunity to grow individually while contributing to the needs of the family. This can be a difficult balancing act if there are no guidelines but with defined attitudes and behaviors it becomes quite natural.
So the best starting point is to define what kind of growth is necessary in order for businesses and individuals to survive and thrive.
A business must be able to produce a product or service that satisfies a need in the marketplace in a way and at a price that brings value to the buyer. But in order to grow as a business there must be an attitude of continuous improvement in order to adapt to changing customer needs with innovative new products and services and to adopt new technologies and cost saving systems in order to remain competitive. With an attitude of continuous improvement there will be certain behaviors that bring action to that attitude. For instance, continuous improvement requires time and ways to listen to and understand the customer and needs a specific set of behaviors to make that happen on a regular basis. It also requires the behavior of continuous learning about: changing technologies, such as when the internet enabled investors to trade stocks and bonds from home or when the wireless technology enabled phone users to be more mobile. Systems, One of the biggest break throughs for the retail giant, Walmart came from an inventory system that drastically reduced inventory costs and improved efficiency or when Fred Smith invented the Fedex system for speedy overnight package delivery. And better business models, such as when Netflix brought about a change to the way we rent movies or the way (the attitudes of the barista's) Starbucks delivers coffee, or the way Apple changed the way we purchase and listen to music. So, we can see lots of behaviors that one single attitude can inspire. You can also determine the most likely behaviors that would complement other attitudes for growth in your culture. Such as an attitude of humility or of embracing and driving change or community involvement etc. Start with the attitudes and behaviors you and your people believe will create a unique and sustainable culture of growth and excellence in the market place. Next week we will look at how the attitudes and behaviors for growth in a business must be in alignment with, inspire and support attitudes and behaviors of growth in the individuals of the company.
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