Building Strong Culture In Your Company

Bringing the mission statement to life when there is a strong culture which integrates the mission and the strategic goals, the company will have excellent integration and methods for managing conflict when it arises.

It is generally agreed that an organization’s culture depends heavily on the role of the CEO (or founder) and the close management of the organization's socialization process.

Organizations with strong cultures go to great lengths to help employees understand the organization's culture by building a careful socialization process.

Realistic job previews (candid descriptions of the good and bad characteristics of jobs) are used to communicate the company's expectations for new employees.

Company officials are required to be excellent role models for the culture of the organization. They are required to run sales meetings, have an open door policies and reward entrepreneurship.

Debasement and indoctrination are used to create humility in new employees so that they are open to the organization's norms about effort and performance excellence.

Employees are trained in the trenches' so that they begin to master the core areas of the business.

The reward and promotion system is used to define performance excellence in the core areas of the organization.

Members are exposed to folklore about the organization and its founder. Stories about key employees are told to reinforce the culture.

Young employees who exhibit personal characteristics which are consistent with the organizations culture are identified as protégés and attached to mentors.

Ask yourself the following questions. Seven or more questions that are answered positively show that you have strong culture in your organization.

1. Can you state the company mission?
2. Do 90 percent or more of your co-workers display commitment to the company mission?
3. Do employees willingly place the company's goals ahead of personal interests if required?
4. Are you personally committed to the company mission?
5. Can every employee describe the company's core areas of distinctive competence?
6. Does the company reward and promote employees who excel in core areas of the business?
7. Do customers, competitors, and observers value your company's commitment to product and service excellence?
8. Are employees thoroughly screened to ensure a match with the company's commitment to excellence?
9. Does the company deal swiftly with a new employee's lack of commitment by providing training or by dismissing the employee?
10. Do senior executives act as mentors to young employees who exhibit qualities valued in the company culture?