When people first get exposed to our approach to creating and driving culture intentionally, they’re often struck by how simple it is. “It just makes sense,” they frequently say, as if that should be a surprise. And yet, when things are simple, we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking there must be something missing …
Ever wonder why it’s so hard to stick with our plans, even with the best of intentions? Ever roll out an important initiative in your organization, determined to make it last, only to have it fall by the wayside, as you got busy on something else or distracted by a new problem or opportunity? Well …
Here’s a simple, but interesting observation: Every company has a distinct culture. In fact, every group of people that comes together regularly has a culture. This is as true for your company as it is for a group of golfing buddies or a Girl Scout troop or an athletic team. There’s an unwritten set of …
Have you noticed that it’s harder than it’s ever been to truly differentiate yourself? That whatever you claim it is that makes you so different, your competitors also say the same thing about themselves? That to your prospects, as well as your current customers, you often look pretty much like everyone else? Yeah, we notice …
I’m sometimes asked by CEOs, “How can we measure the effect of our work on our culture?” Well, the short answer is that you can’t, but the longer answer is that there are definitely things we can measure, and should be measuring, that are important leading indicators of success. Let me explain further. You can’t …
I was talking to a CEO recently and he shared with me his decision to make articulating and communicating his values a key strategic initiative for his company for 2015. But when I asked him what he thought this would accomplish, he became silent. It certainly sounded like an admirable thing to do and many …
Is Articulating And Communicating Your Values Enough? Read More »
There’s a lot of talk these days about employee engagement. And for good reason. When you look at the statistics showing the percentage of American workers who are either not fully engaged or are actively disengaged, it’s pretty startling. This short video tells the story pretty effectively. But here’s an even bigger question: Is getting …
Many leaders I meet will tell me that they have good cultures. They’re justifiably proud of their companies, their people, and the environment in which those people work. But when I press a little harder and ask what they mean by a “good” culture, I hear things like this: Our people get along Our people …
Here’s something I’ve noticed a lot lately: Much of the literature around organizational culture has a heavy emphasis on the importance of articulating the values and beliefs that define a company’s culture. The thinking is that if you can clearly articulate the core principles that are truly central to who you are, then you can …
