Company Culture: The Subtle (And Not So Subtle) Disconnects

Research indicates that modern candidates rate company culture as one of the most important factors when considering career opportunities. Yet, for many business leaders, the idea of creating a company culture is a nebulous concept.

What is a Company Culture?

Simply defined, a company culture is a set of values, beliefs, goals, processes, attitudes or characteristics your company develops, implements or manages to create a thriving environment.

Where Does Creating a Company Culture Fall Short?

I see many companies falling short by not actively creating it, failing to align their processes, and failing to lead powerfully. Your values are more than words on a poster nailed to a wall. They should be an active filter through which you set up defined processes that exemplify them.

Your leadership is more than blindly following orders. It shapes how you contribute to the culture. For example, let’s say your company has a value of customer service excellence. They also define customers as both internal employees and external customers. Your team is consistently working through the night to service the customer because unrealistic expectations are set at the top.

As a leader, if you don’t push back and then expect that same team who worked through the night to be on an 8 am call the next morning, you’re contributing to the disconnect between what you say the value is and the actual demonstration of it.

We all know that at times providing customer service excellence requires an added effort. However, when this behavior continues for months and months, you’re out of alignment with the internal customer service excellence. How these processes play out is a big indicator in setting the tone in creating your company culture. How you lead and work through them is just as important.

Some company leaders do better than others. As a leader, what do you need to shift to contribute to a company culture that is workable and sustainable?

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For more information on how Excellerate Associates can show you how to create your organization’s culture, call 734-223-3938. Excellerate Associates is a certified women-owned company.