UNLOCKING CORPORATE CULTUREBy Michael J. McCarty

The term culture is derived from the Latin word meaning “to cultivate”, and is traditionally meant to define a society’s (or individual’s) system of beliefs and behavioral norms. Societal culture is reflected in manners, attire, language, use of symbols, and rituals.

Corporate cultures, as business environments, are a microcosm of our general culture and wield frequently hidden but nevertheless powerful effects on employees. A choice of one culture over another can influence a career more than any other single factor.

Cultivating cultures – those that create superior environments for employees – contain the following elements:

Inspirational leadership Development of the power of the individual as the company’s prime

asset Valuation of empowerment Preserving and growing a sustainable Core Ideology Publication and training on Codes of Conduct Fostering initiative and proactive problem-solving Valuing and nurturing creativity Encouragement to take risks Publication of an ongoing formal communications plan to inform

employees Structuring (and re-structuring) a responsive organization Understanding and preserving life/work balance Utilizing information to make informed decisions Managing partnerships and alliances internally and externally to grow

stronger Emphasizing collaboration and teamwork Using clear understandable language to communicate unambiguously Building a physical environment that is efficient and respectful Building a positive psychological environment – supported with

coaching and mentoring – to foster career as well as corporate success

Using our “Vitruvian” logic, imagine these elements in terms of a pyramid. The most visible element of Leadership is topmost, and the power of the Individual forms the base of the foundation. Each element builds upon the other, and the power of the organization builds from the bottom foundation. Anything less than a complete culture is an incomplete organization.

Now, let’s examine in detail how these essential cultural elements will significantly impact your career success or failure, starting from the top down on our pyramid of culture.

LeadershipIdeology

Codes of Conduct

Organizational Structure

Physical/Psychological Environments

Data and Information

Risk-Taking Strategies

Creativity and Initiative

Language

Partnerships/Teamwork

Informed Employees

Life/Work Balance

The Power of the Individual and Empowerment

LeadershipPerched atop our Culture Pyramid, senior management, and in particular the CEO, of an organization should set the overall professional tone, and personify the culture. He or she manages and oversees the nurturing of the cuture which in turn nurtures the employees.The CEO works with managers to identify employee potential, and develop that potential, while publicly celebrating successes, promotions, and accomplishments.

I fondly recall that a former CEO, as my business mentor, who taught me the inestimable value of continually thinking about individual employees and their careers within the organization. He understood their unique assets by observation and study, and had an uncanny ability to match their talents and aspirations to the right position; he also had an excellent sense of timing and intuition which he consistently applied. So considerable were his skills in this area that our organization was well-known in the marketplace for his personal brand of leadership.

The effective CEO manages change, tracks careers, understands opportunities, and makes decisions with confidence and the appropriate facts in hand.

The following checklist enumerates the key attributes that makes great CEO’s:

Does the CEO personify the corporate brand? Is the CEO future-oriented? Does the CEO have a people orientation first?

o Understand individual potential Is a continual future orientation part of the CEO’s persona?

o Improvement of people and processes and products Does the CEO have a competitive outlook?

o Proactive vs reactive strategies? Is the CEO characterized by a healthy sense of humour and self-

deprecation, especially in difficult times?o An ability to place events in perspective?

Is the CEO a consensus-seeker? Is the CEO a good listener as well as communicator?

o Does the CEO use plain language (or “code”)

Does the CEO grant continual direct access to all employees? Are there any “hidden agendas?”

Lesson Learned: Make no mistake about it, corporate culture is epitomized by the CEO. If your CEO is a tyrant, or overly blessed with himself, you’re in big trouble. Under these circumstances, more time can be spent satisfying the CEO’s needs than advancing the future of the company – or your future!An effective CEO,on the other hand, can be an invaluable coach or mentor whose positive influence can stretch beyond your current position to influence your entire career.

IdeologyCorporate ideology is a system of values that define an organization’s purpose, and are usually summarized in a mission and/or vision statement. As the company most closely-held beliefs, they form a core of meaning that eventually becomes the company’s tradition and history.The ideals inherent in an ideology need no justification, and have been proven over time. Supported not only by the employees, but all external shareholders, they define the company’s brand image and set the tone for ethical standards.Can the organization succintly answer the following questions?

Summarize the corporate mission statement/vision statemento How often is this reviewed and revised?o Can every employee recite or summarize the mission?

How is the vision/mission statement used? How is it promoted?

Lesson Learned: Visionary statements are meant to set realistic by inspirational goals that give direction and purpose, and publication of these statements can be useful reminders of a company’s progress and even innovation. Be certain the lofty verbiage matches the organizational deeds. The words must reflect the ongoing core strategies and be meaningful.

Codes of ConductCompanies that recognize a power higher than themselves in terms of ethical behavior provide a necessary moral landscape for their employees. Recognition and respect for the individual and the company’s many stakeholders should be embodied and formalized in a corporate Code Of Conduct.

An ethical policy also provides a needed forum to discuss the moral ramifications of decisions, and imbues employees with a sense of responsibilities beyond strictly monetary gain.Some bellwether questions to ask include:

Does the company in fact have a formal ethics code?o How often is the code updated and reviewed?o Who has responsibility for the code?o How often are code training sessions conducted?

How are moral dilemmas as part of corporate decsion-making handled? How are the ethical norms of honesty, openness, empathy, respect, and

fairness implemented at the organization? How does the organization promote the value of corporate and

individual accountability? Does the CEO embody corporate character in the form of the ethical

code?

Lessons Learned: It is instructive to note if the words “ethics”, or “conduct” are consistently mentioned within the organization. Awareness of these issues and responsibility to the community at large bespeak a responsibility to the individual employee as well. Open leadership and individual empowerment lead to a certain transparency of purpose and a sense of discipline that is reflected in adherence to a Code of Conduct.Regarding final question listed above, pertaining to the CEO’s leadership by “character,” a story from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s excellent book – Team of Rivals – illustrates the ethical example and character of Abraham Lincoln. The famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy was once touring a remote area high in the mountains, and found himself at a campfire with the local primitive inhabitants. They pressed Tolstoy to tell them of recent world developments, and the background of various historical figures. As Tolstoy’s stories wound to a close, the natives chided him, saying, “But you haven’t told us about the greatest of generals, the hero who ruled the world.” To Tolstoy’s surprise, they meant Abraham Lincoln. Later Tolstoy felt constrained to write that this was an example of how “Lincoln’s supremacy expressed itself in his peculiar moral power and in the global greatness of his character.”

Organizational Structure

Corporate structures vary, but should be organized in ways that promote efficient communication, unity of command, decisive execution of strategies, and opportunities/contingencies for internal growth.

Among many questions, these most relate to culture: Does the organizational structure itself encourage and provide the

means (commitment) for communication at all levels? Are appropriate managerial imperatives – direct command and unity of

command – reflected in the organization? Is there a defined career “path” in each department?

o Can this path be illustrated with promotions, etc.?o Is there a formal succession plan?

Employee evaluations How often are employees evaluated? How are their aspirations/ambitions/goals recorded and

evaluated? How many levels of management?

o “Flat” or “Deep” organization?o Number of senior managers?o Number of new positions created?

Is coaching and mentoring a formal or informal process at the organization?

Is the organization structured so as to engineer and manage change when necessary?

Lesson Learned: Poor structure in an organization leaves you with no defined career path, cognitive dissonance in reporting, and too many levels of management to efffectively deal with. In short, you want to work for an organization with a future, where there is room for new departments and initiatives – these are opportunities to grow. Regular communication and evaluation connote openness and a spirit of collaboration.

Physical EnvironmentWhat do you call a sociopath in a cubicle? A co-worker!The humorous cartoon character of Dilbert has long been an icon of the employee as a number, not an individual. Adrift in cubicleland, Dilbert has wryly observed his hopeless situation and the lunacy of his company.

However, Dilbert aside, physical environment is of overwhelming importance in establishing the right tone in an organization.The physical layout of office space should be a visible manifestation used to reflect and reinforce the organizational structure, without, however, making lower level managers feel subservient. However, chain of command should be visually represented, as this layout will facilitate communication.Employee privacy should be paramount in the design of an office layout, in that a degree of physical privacy should be supported by limitation of noise levels from co-workers as well as pass-through office traffic.Ergonomic layout of individual works areas should include space optimization, ample file storage and spacious work surfaces, and an analysis of “primary reach” that analyzes ergonomics.Break or lunch rooms are necessary oases where employees can sit and refresh themselves, and an outdoor area can also be a welcome respite from work.The overall goal is to provide a thoughtful workplace design that facilitiates productivity by enhancing the environment.Lesson Learned: Your office space is truly your “home away from home,” and should be worthy of some personal touches that humanize a possibly sterile space. Adjusting lighting (softer), playing some background music (where permissable), and adding personal objects helps facilitate the realities of work and gives some warmth to your work setting.However, there are limits to everything. I recall a co-worker whose love for sports went overboard in terms of the array of sports memorabilia in his office. His mini-hall-of-fame approach to interior decoration became an overwhelming distraction whenever we met. It became out goal to steer customers clear of his office whenever they visited our facilities.

Psychological EnvironmentThe psychological environment is the external image a corporation reflects to its stakeholders. Positive company morale and communication style gives stakeholders the impression that conpany employees are well-motivated because they work in a healthy psychological environment. Like a mirror, good psychological environment, which encompasses most of the elements here stated, reflects employee empowerment, growth, and productivity.This environment gives a longer-lasting vibe to stakeholders than any brand strategy.

Do stakeholders (especially customers) ever ask if there are job openings at your organization?

Do stakeholders ever remark at the positive/negative aspects your work environment?

Is there a frequent mention of code words/expressions, such as “jon security”, “emergency”, etc.?

Lesson Learned: There is no way to hide a psychologically toxic company. This condition colors all relationships with suppliers and customers alike, as they suspect that either you or the company (or both) have no future. Credibility is under question, and customers/suppliers are reluctant to tie their futures to a company with a threatening attitude.

Data and InformationA company’s plans and strategies must have some basis in fact. Intuition and qualitative data are frequently good sources of input for sound judgements, but factual data must play a role.Decisions must have appropriate data as a quantitative foundation for ongoing analytical review.This is the first step in establishing a fact-based, decision-making culture in the organization. Fact-based cultures should also include a broad access to knowledge for employees, easy-to-use systems navigation, accurate and trustworthy data, and a close business and IT collaboration.To determine if an organization generates, qualifies, and analyzes data, review these questions:

Is data regarded as a means or an end in the organization?o Do endless streams of data translate into information at some

point? What data is essential to running the business? How is data analyzed and disseminated? What is the role of data in new product development, sales tracking,

and general opportunity analysis?

Lesson Learned: A typical organization generates a huge amount of sales, financial, and marketing data. The key to successful use of this information is the inhouse expertise to convert this data into useful knowledge. This responsibility

goes way beyond the IT department to the managers and users of the information.Useful information is the foundation for sound decision-making, the end game of data gathering.

Analytics, the process of understanding and utilizing data, enables employees and their managers to out-think and out-execute the competition, according to Jeanne Harris is the Director of Research at the Accenture Institute for High Performance Business. Harris has closely studied the analytics phenomenon and how analytics tools are successfully incorporated into existing infrastructures and cultures.“Analytics fundamentally change the way people make decisions, as they use corporate and external data, linked with statistical analysis and predictive modeling,” states Harris.In a 2006 survey, Acenture Institute revealed that 30% of senior managers stated that they use their enterprise systems to significant support and decision-making capability, vs only 19% in 2002.

Risk Taking Strategies"If things seem under control, you are just not going fast enough."—Mario AndrettiAt some point you will need to take calculated risks in your position. Your intuition, in addition to having some helpful facts at hand to support your position, will aid in making these necessary decisions.But, in the final analysis, there are no certainties, no matter how much information you have. Your inner sense of security must be occasionally challenged by risk-taking.Look upon risk-taking as the price of admission to career success. For you and your organization, learning is not possible without failure and failure is not possible with risk-taking.Risk-taking stretches personal and corporate goals, and sets challenges.The main cultural risk-taking questions are:

Is the company in general a risk-taker?o Are real risks openly acknowledged as such?o How often does it launch new products/line extensions?

o How many new departments have been established in the past year?

o How many new positions have been created?o How many acquisitions/divestitures have occurred recently?

How have past failures been regarded?o How much time was spent on “finger-pointing?”o How much time was spent on analysis (learning)?

Lesson Learned: No company can be successful without taking risks, but it is the calculated degree of risk that is important and the level of risk decision-making that is placed in your hands (empowerment).Risk-taking can create fear – fear of failure, fear of losing your job, fear of peer or management disapproval. Only senior management can set the tone to make appropriate risk an option.If an organization is totally risk averse, it is likely that the organization is static and eventually headed for extinction.

CreativityInvestment in a creative environment indicates that an organization values the employee’s time and talent. Creativity is a learned skill that only emerges as an eventual competitive advantage when there is a deliberate effort to imbue employees with the time to develop their ideas. Parceling out significant blocks of time stimulate the “gardens” of our minds, and spur innovative thinking.Scheduled brainstorming sessions, offsite meetings, and incentives for original ideas are several means of promoting creatitivity. These activities are a welcome break from the daily grind, and serve to reinforce the value of the individual employee’s worth. Creative ideas breed employee ownership and pride, and make the employee am integral part of the company’s future.Peter Goldstone of Hanley Wood, an organization that manages 24 construction-based magazines, has led the recent effort to formalize its investment in innovative, creative thinking with the launch of its Idea Factory. This is a periodic gathering of publishers and editors to brainstorm new ways to capitalize on Hanley Woods’ main construction markets and subsectors.“Employees want to work within an oganization where they know their voices are heard and their ideas can be moved fairly quickly,” Goldstone stated.Ask yourself these questions:

How are new ideas generated at the company?o New productso New processeso New policieso New markets

Are there committees permanently in place to handle these issues? Is there time formally allocated for employees to relax and brainstom on

a regular basis? How is creativity measured?

Lesson Learned: The creative process is part of your career development and affords you the opportunity to re-assess your skills and view your position and responsibilities from a unique perspective. Breakthrough discoveries obtained from the creative process can represent great achievement and a real sense of learning – this can be a wonderfully fulfilling moment in your career! The right environment can make it happen.

InitiativeMany organizations congratulate themselves on their annual “initiatives;” however, the real question is just how the company generated and qualified these initiatives in the first place. So, here are our questions:

Were these initiatives a result of an unanticipated reaction (e.g. “fire drill”) or a reasoned approach to a future opportunity?

Is there a team approach to each problem-generated initiative? Who championed each initiative? How does each problem – solving initiative relate to future challenges? Are contingency plans part of the overall corporate strategic plan? How much time and energy overall is spent on unanticipated issues?

Lesson Learned: You cannot consistently grow in an environment of needless confusion generated by lack of corporate planning. Uncertainty, lack of focus, and continual crisis-based problem solving will stifle creativity, drain energy, and poison a corporate culture very quickly. A company that can’t control its own daily activities has no real plan (except perhaps survival), and is destined for failure. Don’t make yourself a part of this.

LanguageIf you look closely, all business have their own language, a dialect of sorts that can revere acronyms, codes, and traditions. These verbal and written expressions reflect the unique culture of a company as well as its industry.Language should reflect a company’s ideology. Take the well-known example of Disneyland. Employees are “cast members”, customer are “guests”, and a job description is a “script.” The language here reflects the mission and purpose of Disney in the entertainment world, and implicity emphasizes the importance of the guest experience through the power of language.However, language can also be used to obfusticate, confuse, and even hide the truth.In the 1960’s the US military command was frequently criticised for its handling of the Vietnam War, in particular for claiming to see the famous “light at the end of the tunnel” in terms of winning the war. In retrospect the light at the end of the tunnel was a freight train.Ask your self these language-based questions:

Is corporate language understandable and clear? Does the lanugage covey the appropriate meaning, or is it an end in

itself? Is there a spirit of simplicity in language that is unambiguous?

Lesson Learned: Business vernacular is important in conveying the essence of your message, especially in today’s world of text messaging and email. It takes constant effort to work at being clear and simply in your meaning, but success in this area gains time and conserves energy.

Partnerships/AlliancesThe value of quality, the longevity of external partnerships is an indicator of how the organization is functioning with its business partners.These partners include suppliers, customers, facilitating agencies, logistics organizations, and other support groups.These questions are pertinent:

What criteria does the organization use for selection and evaluation of business partners?

Who manages these relationships?o What other organizational employees have access to these

partners?

Are post-project reviews regularly conducted What ideas or innovations are these partners contributing over time?

Lesson Learned: Your corporate culture does in fact greatly impact your relationship with all stakeholders. The physical environment, morale and attitude, and corporate mission impact relationships with suppliers and customers. Poor organizational structure, leading to fragmented decision-making, is frustrating to suppliers and customers alike, and presents a poor image. A well-enforced code of conduct that stresses truthfulness and candor is much appreciated by business partners.In short, actions and a positive environment will definitely speak louder than any words in cementing critical stakeholder relationships.

TeamworkOne is indeed a lonely number.In an ever-increasing complex business world, teamwork is an essential element for significant business growth. How and why teams are assembled and nurtured is a key indicator of a company’s cultural success or failure.

Are team members really committed to the team in general or only their own destinies?

How is team leadership fostered? How is team performance measured?

Lesson Learned: Effective teams are the “petrie dishes” for future leadership development, and as such represent the future of the company. Leadership skills, such as listening, coordinating, planning, recognizing individual potential, respect, and consensus building, can all be traced from team experience. Future mentoring and coaching skills, based on knowledge sharing, can also be developed from team experience.

John Maxwell, the renowned business author, has analyzed the benefits of teamwork extensively. His Law of Challenge is particularly relevant in our turbulent times. This law stipulates that as the Challenge escalates, the need for teambuilding and team-based solutions elevates. This can be well-llustrated in understanding preparations for scaling Mount Everest. Only by means of careful team-based preparation, understanding of various climber team roles, and the

balancing of diverse talents (and weaknesses) can the team hope to summit the peak.

Informed EmployeesWell-informed employees don’t happen by accident or just by rumormongering over the proverbial water cooler. They are informed continually and accurately by senior management on the direction of the organization, the state of the competition, the condition of the market, and the financial health of the company. If you believe that well-informed is well-armed (and you should), ask these questions:

What is the employee communication plan?o Contento Frequencyo Feedback – how employees contribute to the plano Who is responsible for the communication plan?

Are you trusted with appropriate confidential information? Do your customers or suppliers know more about the company that you

do? Has the company described for you the concept of “need to know”

regarding confidential information?Lesson Learned: Without a formal, permanent employee communication plan, you are essentially in the dark about your own company. How can you really trust your own organization if they don’t clearly communicate with you personally?If you feel removed from what is really going on, then, you’re not informed – you’re excluded.You also must also understand, however, that “need to know” should be the rule in terms of company confidential information.

Life/Work BalanceWhile it’s true that companies do not pay for leisure time, it is also true that a balanced employee is a productive employee.A “24/7” schedule will quickly lead to burnout, a loss of control that can have far-reaching (and permanent) effects on your career.I once recall listening to a lecture by the CEO of Energizer Company. To the audience’s surprise. he stated that, while he was proud of his successes at the

company, he always regretted his one big failure: his lost first marriage. He honestly attributed this loss to his long working hours and extensive travel. He subsequently vowed to never work more than 50 hours per week; since that time, his productivity has remarkably increased, and his mood and judgement have improved. And he is also far more aware of the need for Energizer to preserve their employees’ vital life/work balance.Ask these questions to be certain that your employer understands that you do indeed “have a life.”

Is success linked to hours worked or tasks accomplished? How are vacations scheduled? Are there days or at least time alloted for personal necessities or

emergencies? How are working hours observed?

o Is there a culture of working late, to excess?Lessons Learned: The maxim – all things in moderation – must apply to time spent on your job and even your career. A balanced life is a healthy life, and unnecessarily excess hours only pile up stress and unhappiness.In today’s age of the real and sometimes perceived need for instant communication, burnout is a greater threat than ever before. In the final analysis you – and only you – can set the limits of your work hours.

EmpowermentUltimately, you the individual, are the reason your company will succeed or fail. This is the attitude of a truly empowered employee. Accountability denotes empowerment, and accountability drives individual and corporate success.These questions help unlock the role of individual empowerment at an organization:

Is the company listening to my opinions/ideas? Is there a formal ongoing process for obtaining employee feedback? How and when are employees involved in decision-making? Am I prepared by my organization to be a real “brand ambassador”? Does the company entrust me with ever-increasing levels of

responsibility?

Lesson Learned: Your responsibility to contribute to the company and its customers must be balanced by the organization’s desire to prepare you to represent its brand and listening to your valuable feedback. Moreover, your

commitment to grow must be supported by the organization’s strategy of entrusting you with more and more responsibility based on your achievements.

The Power of the IndividualA frequent mantra at many companies is the slogan: “The Customer Comes First.” A better philosophy is to formally acknowledge that the employee truly has precedence, based on the logical fact that without employees there are no customers.Ask yourself these questions to help understand the value of people in the organization:

Is there a professional growth strategy for each employee? Is there a financial investment in employee training and education? Are people being promoted, awarded, recognized? How much of the annual corporate budget is spent on activities that can

be directly traced to individual development? Are the facts at odds with what the company preaches?

Lesson Learned: As a careerist, you deserve to be treated as an investment by your organization. Individual development is a two-way street, with the company understanding its commitment to assist you in realizing your ambitions.

Microsoft’s Sales Marketing and Service Group (SMSG), which represents about 50% of its total employee base, has over time made a significant investment in empowering its employees by means of an online training tool called Role Guide.Role Guide assists employees in selecting inhouse training courses that will have the best effect in furthering their careers. A second management tool, called FRI (Field Readiness Index) helps track an employees progress toward each training goal, so that issues can be pinpointed and remedied.Microsoft’s system interacts well with employees in establishing pesonalized training and empowers them to take alternate career courses within the organization.

Types of Corporate CulturesWhile it is difficult to “generalize” corporate cultures, there are basically five types of cultures that are prevalent in most companies today.Your ability to identify these types (orcombinations thereof) and use our cultivating cultural elements listed above, will help determine your “tightness of fit” (TOF) within these organizations.

1. A Power-Distance Orientation Company defines the degree to which less powerful employees have accepted an “inevitable” existing – and very formal -power structure.Although the senior management team may be somewhat unapproachable and rigid, there may be room to grow if you can break the cycle through initiative and making your abilities perceived as indispensible to managementTightness of Fit (TOF)

Positive Elements: Potential for Initiative, Individual Empowerment to

Negative Elements: Organizational Structure, Risk-Taking, Psychological Environment

2. A Dominant-Values Orientation Company seeks assertive or “robust” conversation or disagreement with policies and processes. While a formal management structure is in place, there is room for argument supported by facts. Under the veil of “discussion”, management is micro in the sense that you must continually justify your opinions, and yes, even your position.This type of culture can work for you if you don’t trade your focus on your career to a focus of wasting your time and energy in satisfying management.Tightness of Fit (TOF)

Positive ElementsEmpowerment, albeit with much justificationInformation and data is valued to support positions

Negative ElementsPoor organizational chain of command breeds confusionOverbearing leadership, with almost a cult of personality and attendant loss of focus on the business.Possible rigid focus on ideology.

3. Short term Orientation Company A company may be short-term oriented in its goals, but take a longer view of employee development.

You must be very watchful of consequences in a company with short-term goals. Undue stress, long work hours, and a galley-slave mentality can quickly take over if the time frame for short-term results is a bit too short.Tightness of Fit (TOF):

Positive ElementsRisk-taking can become a way of life, in the pursuit of short-term goals

Negative ElementsShort-term goals can promote an “emergency”-based environmentNo long term plan, chase for short-term goals can stifle creativity and initiative, destroy work/life balance, and

4. Ambiguity of Command Company denotes a cognitive dissonance in the reporting structure that puts you at risk. Either real or perceived, fulfilling expectations of two or more “bosses” is a short road to disaster, as energy is expended in satisfying each person vs completing the task.More prevalent in today’s business world because of the gutting of middle management and the high incidence of “flat” organizations, this apparent disadvantage can, however, be turned to your benefit if can effectively play one manager against the other by focusing on your tasks and their effective results and ignoring the “how” methdology of achievement.Tightness of Fit (TOF):

Positive ElementsWithout a rigid structure, more initiative is possible, perhaps greater empowerment, more direct communication to upper management

Negative ElementsOrganizational structure works against the employee, and possible confusion in communication strategies

5. Life” Outside the Company Company: This balancing element of your career might be entirely ignored at a company, or it could be manifested

in many “company” activities such as sports, picnics, and sponsored events.The company’s attitude toward vacation and sickness is also critical.Some companies are very involved in ongoing community activities and use these activities to establish a superior physical and psychological culture, supported by excellent benefits programs.These companies frequently rank high on the list of “best places to work.”

Tightness of Fit (TOF)Positive Elements

Teamwork, ideology (“all work and no play, make Jack a dull boy”), creativity and initiative, informed employees (“open” culture), healthy pyschological and physical environment

Negative ElementsPotential overbearing leadership

Anticipating CultureHow do you determine the company’s culture and type before you leap into it as an employee?

In a macro sense, you can externally research the target organization in terms of: market share brand strength impact of advertising use of internet website demonstrated success/failure of new products and programs customer/supplier/employee interviews

Some direct questions that can help you unlock cultural clues in advance are:

1. Tell me about how Decisions are Made in your organizationa. What is process (dependant on types of decisions)?b. Are decisions information-based and informed?c. What is the role of employees in decision-making?

Purpose: Are employees empowered? Are decisions strictly handed down from upper management?

Are decisions reactive or proactive?

2. Tell me about your Corporate Strategya. Value Propositionb. Growth planc. Sales/Margins/Share

Purpose: Is there a plan that can be articulated? Is the plan communicated to the employees? Did the employees have a role in the plan itself?

3. Tell me about your Sales Strategya. What is the sales process?b. Are all customers treated alike? Any special programs?c. How do you track retention, customer growth, etc.?d. Describe your sales force, and their training, goals, etc.

Purpose: Does the customer or employee come first in the organization? How are customers nurtured?

What is the role of marketing and product development in the organization’s sales strategy?

4. Tell me about what Motivates your Employeesa. Is it achievement, money, career potential, market leadership?b. Does the organization understand its employees and their

aspirations?c. What is the employee retention rate?

Purpose: Are these issues even on the corporate radar?Are corporatse positions merely a jobs or actually steps on long term careers?

5. Tell me about Employee Training Programsa. Skills developmentb. Market, message, branding trainingc. HR policy sessionsd. Strategic planninge. Career management and succession planning

Purpose: Are employees involved, aware, and empowered?

6. Tell me about what causes Stress for your Employeesa. What does the company do to understand employee responsibilities?

i. Regular review of job descriptions and job qualificationsii. Review of goals and career planning

b. Is there stress management training? Purpose: Is this issue officially acknowledged by the company? What is the strategy to reduce employee stress?

7. Tell me about how you Manage Meetings.a. Why and how often are meetings convened?b. Who leads the meeting and who are the participants?c. What are the expectations?

Purpose: Is this activity being monitored and analyzed?Are meetings planned or usually ad hoc?

Are decisions discussed or merely ratified? What is the quality of leadership at the meetings?

The best environment to present these questions is during, and particularly at the end of an employment interview. Not only can the answers provide clues to the corporation culture, but may also be preceived as penetrating and thought-provoking on the part of the hiring manager.

Perspective: The Environment of Corporate CultureJust as companies exist in the real world, so do corporate cultures. Positioned between the traditional marketing mix and the overall external environment (see Exhibit 1.1), the corporate culture is visible to the outside world. As personified in its employees.Employees are “cultural ambassadors” to customers, suppliers, and the community at large.

Planning CultureGiven the extreme importance of culture, why don’t more organizations develop a “cultural marketing plan” that includes the above components? Let’s outline just such a program.

1. Executive Summarya. Our organization is committed to providing a superior culture that

will consciously strive to improve corporate performance by

nurturing our employees, as well as our stakeholders, and implement a cultural strategy that will result in:

i. Improved revenuesii. Increased profitability

iii. Reduced employee turnoveriv. More managers promoted from within the organizationv. Superior morale and productivity

2. Marketing Strategya. Identify and conduct a SWOT of each cultural element (from above)

and provide a strategy for each (e.g. revise the Code Of Ethics to include the corporation’s commitment for individual employee growth and improvement).

b. Establish an internal communications plan to enchance culture3. Timetable and Metrics

a. Set an implementation plan with metrics as listed above

So, to summarize:1. Understand the elements that make or break a company’s culture2. Be able to classify the types of culture and how they fit your business

goals3. Anticipate future cultures with well-designed Q&A4. Design your personalized culture plan and encourage your organization

to do the same