There are plenty of things that annoy me about how companies run things, from the compute environments that we all work with, to the red tape and paperwork that is mandated by every organization that I have ever worked for. None of these items is nearly as annoying as missing the opportunity to set a culture, to create a feeling of community for all the people that work in the organization. Having a culture established and providing a framework for how everyone behaves and considers their role within the organization is vital - in my opinion more so than simply 'making money'. I have not seen anything be nearly as essential as the shared culture a company (and their staff) has.
A tale of two situations
Situation one:
I used to work for a company long long ago in a land far far away in my youth (ok, it was my 20s... but I might as well have been five). In this company when we were on-boarded - all of us went through the same training, we were all told what the values of the company and the values of its people/staff were. All new staff were introduced to existing staff in the company that held those same described beliefs and values. Now - It didn't hit me then, but this was one of the most powerful things I have ever been involved with. This company was taking steps to align all the staff to the same culture, to the same goals, to the same ideals. In short - they were working to get everyone pointed towards the same North Star set of values.
Aligned to the North Star....
This on-boarding, described the values everyone was asked to be beholden to. This process allowed people to know what the company was doing and why they were doing it. The Kool-aide (TM) gave permission to all the staff to BEHAVE in a way that aligned with those values, and invite them into also owning them, espousing them, and upholding them in the interactions and work they were doing. In short - this 'training' actually got everyone in the company roughly pulling in the very same direction. Making the entire company a force to be reckoned with.
In contrast to the above, I have also had the cliche experience of having zero buy in and zero involvement in the values of the company I am working for - the difference is striking.
Situation two:
In this situation - the company is new and small, not yet having all the trimmings and trappings of a larger organization. In this case, the values of the company have not yet been established let alone written down. Training/on-boarding is not really yet defined, hiring practices and interview type/style not yet clarified etc etc. As the company is growing and changing - there exists an opportunity to both define the values and get the staff bought into those values, have them "Drink the kool-aide" if you will. There exists a unique opportunity to get everyone marching towards the same North Star, going in the same direction. Getting EVERYONE pulling for the same things.
What actually happened was values got defined with no involvement of the staff. Everyone was introduced to the values created long after the values had been launched into the public eye. A huge miss - allowing silos, and poor communication to continue rather than have the staff buy in at even the basic of levels.
We are more powerful marching together - and even MORE powerful marching in ONE direction
A common value, a common direction, a common goal that everyone shares IS powerful. Having this alignment up and down the chain of command enables staff to make independent decisions that are in line with the company North Star using the corporate values as guiding bumpers. This alignment allows all the staff to challenge choices one another are making. This alignment allows for empowerment and flexibility. Without this buy in - lots of meetings to get alignment, lots of items where management feels the need to intervene because the decisions don't have the necessary context and framework. In the end even if it were the case that corporate values were going to be decided only by Upper Management - for everyone else the illusion of having a choice matters in winning them to your side. If they can actually BUY IN - it would be even more powerful leading to great outcomes. Flexibility, and and and - your company more powerful than it was.
In the end "Its how we win that matters" - Enders Game
There are plenty of cliches out there about corporate values and how they are created. IT IS POSSIBLE however to create values and have them be meaningful and fulfilling and direction setting for the staff and the market as a whole. WHEN you can do this - there is no telling what you can accomplish. When you don't do this - you and your staff will just be blah, jumping over a broom stick that has been placed on the floor. We should all strive for something better.
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