Clik here to view.
Several days ago I was sitting on the deck at a friend’s house looking at rowing team practicing on the river. It occurred to me that there is a certain DNA evident in these teams. They were all working together and rowing in sync. It looked effortless from my vantage point. If one of the rowers was out of sync, paddles would hit each other, the effort required would be greater and the movement down the river would be a struggle.
The same thing happens in business when people are not in sync. There is friction, the effort required to make progress is greater and people struggle to meet the objectives of the organization.
So how do you infuse the right DNA into your organization? What are the keys to build and preserve your culture?
- Purpose
Businesses are usually started to solve a problem. Author and speaker, Simon Sinek, talks about the power of why, which is a differentiator. What is the purpose of your company? Why do you exist beyond making a profit?
- Core Values
What are the values that are core to who you are? These are values that you are willing to lose business over. A classic example is when a Southwest passenger wrote a complaint letter to Herb Kelleher, CEO at the time. She complained that the flight attendant was trying to be funny while delivering the flight safety announcements, and the passenger took offense. One of Southwest’s core values is a Fun-LUVing Attitude so Herb’s response was unflinching. He wrote back and said just four unexpected words, “We will miss you.” Now that’s holding tightly to a value.
- Structure
What are the behaviors and standards that serve as the glue to hold the values together? It’s not enough to have values posted on the wall, they need to be lived out in the organization. The structure serves to support and validate your core values.
- Do you include questions about values in your interview process and hire based on alignment with values?
- Are behaviors a part of your performance review process, and are people held accountable?
- During meetings, are team members praised for how they live out the values in the organization?
- Example
As the leader, you must exhibit the values and behaviors that you are trying to promote. It must be internalized within you. Your example needs to model an unwavering commitment to the purpose, values and structure. Does your passion and approach inspire others to follow your lead?
What are you doing to infuse the right DNA into your organization?
