CULTURE SET/RE-SET
“Years ago, I heard a leader of a large corporation become indignant when the word “culture” was mentioned during a strategy meeting. He quickly announced that this word was not be used or considered during the session. I found it odd there was such a response to an issue this critical. In this instance it had been mentioned as a concern to its condition. Meaning, either it had changed or wasn’t understood. Not surprisingly, that company has struggled with its identity. Many leaders, including that one, have come and gone. Long-time employees have left, the product and services in the eyes of many customers has lost its relevance. Now under new leadership, they are searching for identity and to redefine who they are. “
This story is not unique but found across the United States where executives meet in board rooms and search for answers to figure out why the bottom line has shifted, and why endless graphs and data are trending in a negative spiral. The setting could be different, it may be in a garage, a locker room or even a church meeting room. No matter the environment, when a group of people working toward a common cause lose their identity or purpose then the results will always be the same, a downward spiral which could eventually lead to nonexistence and a story line.
The question, why do leaders fear the word “culture”? Is it because it cannot be measured on a spread sheet or from a distance? At RSM, we believe a healthy culture is a critical piece that drives profit, increases attendance and leads to victories. Within the Circle of Leadership, we teach, culture is created when the Core Values are deeply engrained in the organization through the people who represent it. Culture creates an atmosphere that is felt, seen and perceived. It doesn’t create perfection, it creates an environment that strives for it and when imperfect, it’s owned and recovery is quick and effective. Culture should not change on a daily basis, when healthy, it is consistent, relevant and created by the people who live it.
CULTURE is measured by:
- Employees
- Employee tenure
- Employee growth – Are team members being promoted from within?
- Applicants – Is it hard to find quality prospects?
- Attendees/Customers
- Does the experience make people want to return and does it create loyalty?
- Do people share their experience with family and friends?
- Results
- Growth
- Longterm loyal team members
- Profitability
- Do you win?
Culture Set – We work with new organizations to install the Core Values within their environment through hiring, training and setting management expectations.
Culture Reset – Every organization has a culture, unfortunately many are not healthy. The result is a poor customer experience which then impacts the results negatively. It is not impossible to fix, it takes honest evaluation that leads to change. It starts with the leader. Our job, to work closely with leadership to build a strategic plan to get back on course.