Your Culture Is A Reflection Of You! (Sept. 2001 Issue Bonus: Labor Solutions EXTRA)

WHAT IS THE CULTURE OF YOUR COMPANY? In every company, there is an atmosphere, an unspoken reality that dictates how things are done. When a new person enters the company, they quickly learn what will fly and what won't. Sometimes this education is information shared by other employees and sometimes it is learned the hard way by an attempt to behave outside the accepted parameters. The challenge for most new employees is to pick up the culture - the bundle of rules of acceptable behaviors - and learn to act within it quickly.

The perception of the company culture is one that will vary from the viewpoint of the business owner and the viewpoint of the employee. The owner may feel that the place is open and inviting, while the employee may perceive something quite the opposite. To accurately determine the culture of your company, you as the owner must be willing to risk asking for feedback from employees. This input, when measured against your own perceptions will give you a good basis to determine if the culture is the one you want: one that fosters growth and development and one in which employees will feel valued and desire to stay.

GETTING FEEDBACK. The following are the six stages defined in the JP Horizons business-building program, called organizational excitement. They illustrate various cultures a company may find itself having at any particular time. If you are feeling brave or looking for an outstanding opportunity for a management team discussion or entire company evaluation, have as many people as possible give input on the following by asking them for feedback on which stage they believe the company is in.

THE STAGES OF ORGANIZATIONAL EXCITEMENT:

Sub-Stage

• Turnover is high and morale is low.
• There is no management team that is meeting consistently and with purpose.
• Money troubles dominate the conversations.
• Customer service problems are high and sales are low.
• The "plan" is survival, not growth.

A Stage 1 Company

• A need for change is recognized.
• Books, articles and seminars are sought for advice.
• An attitude of mistrust toward the customer exists.
• Management meetings are irregular.
• A sense of management vs. employees exists.
• Frustration is high; there's a difference between the present state of affairs and the desired state.

A Stage 2 Company

• There are regularly "scheduled" management meetings.
• A mission statement has been "penned," probably on a cocktail napkin or workshop handout.
• Company meetings occur occasionally.
• Recognition of the customer as an integral part of the business is beginning.
• Outside resources are sought.

A Stage 3 Company

• Employee input is gathered on a mission and mission statement.
• The word "profit" is mentioned in conversation and meetings.
• Periodic in-house newsletters are created.
• Company meetings are on a regular basis.
• A "customer service" process is initiated.

A Stage 4 Company

• A mission statement is used to create a sense of unity and purpose.
• An awareness of interdependency between management, employees and customers has been created.
• The "out of the ordinary" takes place, creating enthusiasm.
• A systematic approach to communication is in place and used.
• A shift from frustration to growth and accomplishment occurs; progress takes place, creating new energy.

A Stage 5 Company

• A vision creates a passion to succeed through - the mission statement (where, what, why), the action statement (how), and performance management goals (who, when).
• The market served is defined into niches and micro-niches, and the criteria for domination is established and followed.
• The fundamental business issues (FBIs) of teamwork, training, systems and cost control are continually addressed through a team effort producing ongoing noticeable results.
• A process of rewards is created that drive a company toward its vision and creates the opportunity to "share the success."
• Scoreboards and information sharing create an atmosphere of trust and accountability, while emphasizing growth, accomplishments and progress.
• "Fun" enters the work environment by shifting the focus to enjoying the process over the accomplishment.

If you want to take the discussion to an even higher level, ask yourself, your management team, or entire company, "Which of the stages would be more profitable, more enjoyable to work for, or more likely to be in business five years from now?" The honest answers will be motivation for everyone to stay focused on developing a positive culture for the company.