The nature of capitalism and enterprise is one of competition, survival of the fittest, even. Businesses vie for the currency of customers but there is another layer of competition that is perhaps more important. That layer is finding and keeping the best talent to execute your company’s goals and realize its vision. Building a business that bests the competition starts by understanding that you need a culture that inspires.
What Does Your Business Believe?
Implementing a series of core values is a great first step in building an inspiring culture. Of course, once established, actually adhering to those core values will determine long-term success. Business leaders cannot afford to live by a “do as I say, not as I do” mantra. Managers, supervisors, and leaders are constantly under the microscope. Do you know the “why” behind your “what?” If not, you may be in peril of violating your company’s core values. Learn them. Live them. Lead others to do the same.
You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, Right?
Wrong. It’s never too late to hit the proverbial reset button on culture and values. Think about it: It happens every day via mergers and acquisitions. If you’ve been in business for a while, you probably have lived through one or more of these. Basically, companies coming together is like a marriage. Just as with courtship and dating, the two would-be mates show their best sides. You see doors opened for the ladies. Then you notice that every time out is a best foot forward moment. After marriage, some of the warts begin to show. Perhaps one of the couple belches a little more openly. Then there’s that tube of toothpaste left out on the counter, with the cap off. The horror!
Working it Out
Just as married couples can find a way to work through differences, merged businesses can do the same. Find the best of what worked when you were separate and then add a few “children” to the pairing—a couple of new core values that you’ve determined together—to cement the partnership. Accordingly, as you nurture your existing values and those you’ve built together, you’ll begin to build that inspiring culture that your team craves.
What Happens on Saturday Night?
How do you start to talk about what your new values will be? Try this: Have you ever asked your team how they feel about going to work on Sunday evening? What are they looking forward to when they get into the office (or log onto web conferencing) on Monday morning? Are they excited to get to bed in anticipation of a great week at an incredible job working with outstanding people? Do they toss and turn all night in loathing working with a horrible boss and an uninspired team? What would make the necessary change to turn that loathing into giddy anticipation. That’s right—giddy. If your culture inspires, your team can indeed be giddy with anticipation of coming to work. The best thing about this? It’s not phony or contrived. It’s crafted and real.
How Do We Do This?
Sometimes these conversations can start with a catalyst. At times, that spark comes from inside. In other situations, your business may need an outside set of eyes. If you’re feeling professionally lethargic, reach out to NVSI today. We can help you jump-start the process and help you in establishing a culture that inspires.
