“Many can do what you do, but no one can be who you are.”
"Who you are" is the only thing that truly distinguishes your organization from others. It doesn't matter what product or service you provide, nor does it matter the industry you're in. What you do and how you do it can be replicated. But who you are is truly unique and your ability to leverage that difference will determine the level of success you achieve.
Culture is the way in which organizations demonstrate who they are. And those who are intentional about their culture are the organizations people most want to work for and with. As we continue to look at how to create an intentional culture, we are going to dig in to each type of culture influencer, starting with the Culture Creators.
Culture Creators - Who Are They?
The Culture Creators for any organization are the people at the very top of the organizational hierarchy. They are the Founders, Owners, CEOs and Executive Teams in charge of casting vision and determining the direction the organization will go. In the case of larger organizations, where sub-cultures often exist, i.e. regional offices, independent locations, etc., the General Managers, Vice Presidents and Market Leaders and their direct report team will typically comprise your Culture Creators as well. That said, the sub-culture of a region or location must align with and support the culture of the entire organization.
“All organizations are a reflection of the person or people leading the way.”
All organizations are a reflection of the person or people leading the way. The same is true with culture. A creative and bold Creator will attract and inspire a culture of pushing the limits and celebrating new and different ideas to achieve success. A people-focused, service-minded Creator will attract and inspire a culture of empathy and relationship building.
Understanding and embracing this fact is significant for all Culture Creators in an organization. Be mindful of your interactions within the organization. Make sure they align with the culture you desire and expect for your organization. It’s a great responsibility for all Creators and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Culture Creators - What Is Their Responsibility?
This is not about one culture being better than another. It’s about recognizing what culture is most authentic to your organization and creating systems and processes to ensure that culture is experienced across the entirety of the organization.
This is the most important responsibility for the Culture Creator. If you are a Creator, you must first identify and articulate the authentic culture of your organization. Then, you must develop the tools required to deliver the culture consistently. The key word here is authentic. Be the best you rather than an average copy of someone else.
“Be the best you rather than an average copy of someone else.”
Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, is a great example of this. Mr. Chapman believes in what he calls “Truly Human Leadership” and leverages this leadership philosophy through everything his company does. Whether it be talent acquisition and development or Barry-Wehmiller’s approach to company growth through acquisition, Bob’s philosophy has become his company’s culture and it flows through the entire organization.
Culture Creators - How Do They Achieve Success?
Success for Culture Creators comes down to relentless communication and purposeful execution. Once you have identified your purpose, principles, and pay-off (Your Culture Print™), you must be committed and consistent in your communication and demonstration of your Culture Print.
Relentless communication is the first step. A clear purpose statement and core principles effectively communicated become the rallying cry for your organization. In every situation, your people will lean into your purpose and principles to find the best solution. And when they do, you will find they will solve problems, develop new ideas, and work together as a team in ways that will look and feel very much like your ways but better because they add their flavor and perspective to your purpose and principles that inspire them to be their best.
The next step is purposeful execution. Culture can be a very ambiguous thing. But the best organizations in the world have created tools and processes to develop and reproduce their culture over and over again. In order to have an intentional culture, this step is non-negotiable.
There are many different ways you can make your culture tangible for your organization. Symbols and language are excellent tools. Recognition programs and performance evaluations can be effective tools as well. You can even leverage feedback processes and surveys to develop and track your culture’s effectiveness. The options are practically limitless. So what you decide to do is up to you. But the fact remains, you must decide to do something.
One Last Note…
While Culture Creators are the people setting the course and tone for your organization’s culture, they can’t do it alone. In fact, they aren’t even the most important culture influencer in the organization. That honor belongs to the Culture Keepers. These are the mid-level managers and supervisors who have direct influence of your front-line employees. It’s critical that Culture Creators effectively engage, empower, and equip their Culture Keepers to ensure the desired and expected culture is experienced by all people in your organization.
In Part 3 of Creating an Intentional Culture, I’ll take a look at those Culture Keepers, shining a light on who they are, why they’re so important, and how their role as culture influencers determines whether or not your culture and organization will reach it’s fullest potential.
Again, I would love to hear your thoughts about the concept of culture influencers and why intentional culture matters. Leave your comments below and join the conversation.
Till next time…
By Dan Shurtz, Founder of The Culture Print
