Because it is written, it is….
Corporate culture statements that are printed, displayed on walls, featured in promotional literature, included in company reports, and distributed to prospective clients, associates, and suppliers count for little if they are not understood, embraced, recalled in full, implemented, adhered to, reinforced, and developed by all stakeholders.
Disturbingly, too often, the importance and application of corporate cultures are not respected, which reflects poorly on management people. It is both an individual and collective issue.
CULTURES ARE PERSONAL
Words matter. However, carefully scripted and crafted texts must be meaningful, universally applicable, and consistently implemented. Above all, brevity is a virtue and an essential to promoting understanding.
Plagiarised, adopted, and adapted statements are seldom effective. Cultures need to be conscious and sub-conscious realities, parameters, templates, and frameworks that are the fundamentals of thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
Unfulfilled promises are, well, unfulfilling. The most effective culture statements typically feature one, possibly two or, at most, three core values that contribute to focus, energy and urgency.
Multiple subheadings and action points usually lead to clutter.
Interestingly, many KPIs (key performance indicators) centre on quantifiable, monetarised and production-oriented measures and dimensions. The same principles should be utilised in the conduct of periodic forensic audits or corporate culture reviews.
CULTURE CHALLENGE
A simple, if not simplistic,c culture challenge:
What is our primary purpose, and what do we want to be famous for?
EVOCATIVE WORDS
Emotional, subjective, and generalised words and terms should be sparingly and defined with supportive texts and a corporate culture statement.
The intent should be, and ideally must be, to provide focus, action and attainment of a quantifiable purpose.
Obsession, passion, and curiosity are often difficult to monitor, measure, manage, and maintain in isolation.
Effective cultures are self-determining and self-correcting. They are universal, integrative and cohesive.
UNIMPEACHABLE GOALS
Integrity, authority, and authenticity are concrete concepts in which compromise should not be considered.
Consistency and continuity are imperative in respecting, adhering to, promoting and providing mutual benefits derived from a corporate culture.
External and delegated enforcement of corporate culture values are inconsistent with the essence of the principles and discipline.
Cultures enable, facilitate, endorse and support self-administered philosophies, beliefs and values.
COMMUNICATE UNDERSTANDING
Communication is a pillar of the application of genuine cultures. It ensures understanding and promotes a sense of caring, sharing and, where appropriate, baring. At all times, allow cultures to be conspicuous.
Significantly, a lack of or poor communication indicates an inadequate corporate culture, including substandard customer service, unprofessional behaviour, and deficient work and product and service delivery.
AVOID TOKENISM
Ticking the boxes and the many elements and dimensions of a corporate culture is common but largely unfulfilling.
Culture counts, but make it brief.
….abc, 123.
Written by Barry Urquhart
BIO:
Barry Urquhart is a distinguished market research and strategic planning consultant. He is widely respected as a keynote speaker at leading conferences across Australasia and the acclaimed author of Serves You Right! And Service Please!, the region’s two best-selling books on customer service excellence.
A trusted voice in business strategy, Barry frequently leads impactful business development workshops, guiding organisations towards sustainable growth and service leadership.
Get in Touch with Barry: Email: [email protected], Mobile: +61 041 983 5555.
